PHYSICAL FEATURES Flattened head sports a blunt snout above its mouth Short barbels protruding from its nostrils Back and sides are gray to brown with white spots among pale vertical and horizontal stripes and white a belly. Two dorsal fins are set rearward on its body, which ends in a large dual- lobbed caudal fin (or tail).

FEEDING HABITS Whale sharks migrate long distances according to food availability and water temperature. Feed on wide variety of planktonic (microscopic) and nektonic (larger free-swimming) prey. Prey includes crustaceans, schooling fishes, and occasionally tuna and squids. Phytoplankton (microscopic plants) and macro-algae (larger plants) may form a component of the diet Feeds actively by opening its mouth, distending the jaws and sucking. The coral spawning of the area's Ningaloo Reef provides the whale shark with an abundant supply of plankton.

FEEDING HABITAT CONT’D They are skimmmers; they swim with their mouth open, so food is caught in the baleen fringes inside their mouth They are food filters; they suction water into their mouths at high velocities while remaining stationary. Food moves through filtering pads that are pores that act like a sieve, allowing water to pass through while capturing food particles. 20 filter pads that are visible inside Food particles, which have more momentum, don’t get trapped on the filter but carry on to the back of the mouth, forming an ever more concentrated ball of food

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE/HABITAT Found in all tropical and warm temperate seas except the Mediterranean Different geographic locations appear to be preferred at various times of the year. The range of these species typically lies between 30˚N and 35˚S The highest latitude they’ve been sighted at is 41˚N ˚S They are known to inhabit both deep and shallow coastal waters, lagoons, coral atolls and reefs. It’s been reported that they are found in surface sea water temperatures between 21-25˚C They migrate distances over 2000 km from northwest Australia towards Asia.

FUN FACTS Whale sharks are like humans in the way they have specific patterns on their bodies which allow them to be individually identified. Whale sharks are the largest fish and shark in the world Their average sizes are 25 feet, weighing up to 15 tons Whale sharks have 3,000 very tiny teeth They are filter feeds who sieve their tiny food through their large gills

FUN FACTS CONT’D. Whale sharks are very gentle and docile creatures who tourists today swim with in many places. They have an incredibly long life span, nearly 70 years! They are forced to use their entire bodies to swim Up to 300 egg capsules have been counted in one female They reach sexual maturity around 25 years old.

BREEDING HABITS Ovoviviparus; their eggs are kept inside the mother growing until the pups are fully developed. Eggs hatch inside the mother and pups keep receiving food from their surroundings until they are fully formed. Female whale sharks give birth as they feed in the rich waters of the Kuroshio Current The southeast waters off Taiwan are an important birthing area during summer months. The young measure about inches (55-64 cm) total length at birth.

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WHALE SHARK SIZE DECREASING? (CURRENT EVENT) Whale sharks 30 feet (9meters) in total length used to be found regularly at Ningaloo Reef. However, currently the largest sharks now being seen are only about 20 feet (6 meters). Researchers believe the whale shark population of Ningaloo Reef is mainly made up of juveniles. Reason for the change is not understood at this time but getting to the bottom of this shift is critical for conservation of the species. Satellite tags are being placed on certain individuals and photo identification is being utilized in hope to determine where the large sharks have gone. This is important information because it can help scientists and policymakers put the most effective conservation measures in place to ensure the continued survival of these gentle giants.

REFERENCE PAGE Martins, Carol. "WHALE SHARK FOOD HABITS." Whale Shark Food Habits : TravelYucatan.com. Florida Museum of Natural History, 2 Jan Web. 27 Apr The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version Downloaded on 27 April "Whale Sharks - Whale Shark Pictures - Whale Shark Facts - National Geographic." National Geographic. Web. 27 Apr Knickle, Craig. "Rhincodon Typus." :: Florida Museum of Natural History. Web. 27 Apr