The Whale Shark

The Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)
The whale shark is a fish belonging to the
orectolobiforme elasmobranch species, and is the only
one that makes up the family of Rhincodontidae and the
genus Rhincodon. Its scientific name is Rhincodon typus,
and it is believed that they have existed on the planet
for about 60 million years.
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This species was released in 1828 when they found a
species that measured 4 meters long, this was captured
by fishermen in South Africa and a replica of this is
located in the Natural History Museum in Paris, since
then it was called Shark Whale, because it is shaped like
a shark but the size of a whale.

Where does the whale shark live?
This shark lives in warm waters, it can be found in the
coastal areas of Honduras, Panama, Venezuela, Mexico,
Tanzania, Taiwan, Western Australia and the Philippines,
but some have also inhabited the coasts of New York
City due to low temperatures.
They are found in the open sea at a depth of 700 meters,
for that reason you will not find them frequently, but
you could see them on some coasts that have river
mouths, coral atolls or nearby lagoons.
Characteristics of the whale shark.
These sharks can measure more than 12 meters long,
which makes it the largest shark on earth, its head is
flattened and wide, on the sides its small eyes which are
far from each other, in its mouth we will find a row of

small teeth, it measures 1.5 meters wide.It also has a
pair of dorsal fins and two other pectoral
fins, it can move at a speed of 5 kilometers per hour, the
length of the tail is 2.5 meters.
As for its skin, it has a thickness of 10 centimeters, the
body is robust and elongated, the color of the back is
dark gray, also as an interesting feature it has spots and
lines with a yellowish tone throughout its body, while
the color of the belly it is white.
What do whale sharks eat?
The whale shark feeds on nekton, krill and
phytoplankton, it also eats other types of fish such as
tuna, mackerel, sardines and anchovies or crustaceans,
such as squid or crab larvae.

When it is going to eat it absorbs a large amount of
water to trap these fish in its dermal denticles and
withthis it prevents the passage of other fluids which it
eliminates through a kind of "cough".
It has a sense of smell that allows it to locate the
concentrations of plankton or fish, then it only has to
open its mouth fully to drink as much water as possible
without having to go fast to catch its prey. If when they
go hunting there are many fish so they make group
formations, but usually they move alone.
What is the behavior with humans, do whale sharks eat
people?
This type of shark only feeds on small fish, so they are
not a threat to humans, on the contrary, they behave in
a friendly and even affable manner around people.
Although they have many teeth, they are small in size
and do not play any role when it comes to feeding.
Some of the known attacks of these sharks are a
consequence of the bad behavior of the fishermen
towards them, although in truth the damage they can
cause is very negligible due to the characteristics of their
teeth, on the contrary if they could hit you hard with its
tail or torso.

How do whale sharks reproduce?
The exact reproduction process of these sharks is
unknown, because they are extremely reserved for
mating.
Studies carried out in 1996 revealed that these sharks
are ovoviviparous, which means that the mother has the
eggs inside her body until the embryo is fully developed
and when they are born they are alive.
It was recorded that in 1 year the largest egg laying
occurred and this was 300, because it is normal for
females to have more than 20 eggs. The young at birth
measure 40 to 60 centimeters long and during the first
years of life are maintained in deep areas and therefore
the study of these whale sharks becomes more difficult.

Whale shark life expectancy.
In this aspect they have a good advantage, these sharks
can live up to 100 years, in the first they will be in the
company of their mother in order to learn how to feed
effectively and then they move away to start their own
life in the open sea. These sharks they are sexually
mature from 30 years of age, and after passing 60 or 70
years they dedicate themselves to feeding themselves.
The whale shark is in danger of extinction.
This shark is considered vulnerable to extinction
because it is one of the most sought after by the fishing
industry in the areas where they are most seen, such as
Taiwan or the Philippines. In fact, in both countries
there are laws that prohibit fishing and this is due to
Due to the large killings that are carried out, it is
estimated that they end the lives of 100 Whale sharks
every year.
Statistics show that from the beginning of the year 2000
to date more than 6000 specimens have been registered,
which means that these species are considerably
reduced every 10 years.
But as if that were not enough, there are other reasons
why this wonderful shark is in danger, and this is the
degradation of corals and mangroves due to global
warming, boat traffic and plastic pollution, the latter
being attacked with great interest in recent years. years.

Whale shark conservation.
To prevent countries like Japan and the United States
from becoming extinct, some specimens have been
placed in captivity, in order to study and keep them alive
and thus avoid their complete disappearance.
Also in some countries where they are seen more
frequently, conservation actions have been taken by
applying laws that prevent the import or export of their
skin, meat or parts of their body.
The most recognized are the CMS, it is an international
organization that is responsible for creating agreements
to protect migratory species that move through various

countries and CITES is an agreement that prohibits the
trade in animal parts and the production of products
that deserve your hunt to make them.

The Whale Shark

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