Whale shark

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is a slow-moving filter feeding shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 12.65 m (41.5 ft) and a weight of about 21.5 t (47,000 lb), and unconfirmed reports of considerably larger whale sharks exist. Claims of individuals over 14 m (46 ft) long and weighing at least 30 t (66,000 lb) are not uncommon. The whale shark holds many records for sheer size in the animal kingdom, most notably being by far the largest living nonmammalian vertebrate. It is the sole member of the genus Rhincodon and the family, Rhincodontidae (called Rhiniodon and Rhinodontidae before 1984), which belongs to the subclass Elasmobranchii in the class Chondrichthyes. The species originated about 60 million years ago.

The whale shark is found in open waters of the tropical oceans and is rarely found in water below 22 °C (72 °F). Modeling suggests a lifespan of about 70 years but measurements have proven difficult. Whale sharks have very large mouths and are filter feeders, which is a feeding mode that occurs in only two other sharks, the megamouth shark and the basking shark. They feed almost exclusively on plankton and therefore, are completely harmless to humans.

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Latest News for: whale shark

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Community-based conservation cuts thresher shark fishing by 91% in Indonesia: Study

Mongabay 28 Mar 2025
“The rationale behind safe-guarding manta rays and whale sharks lies in their non-extractive value, notably from tourism () In contrast, pelagic threshers continue to be valued as an extractive ...
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The most important part of the ocean you’ve never heard of

The Los Angeles Times 28 Mar 2025
... in some spots barely hidden under 30 feet of water, offering safe haven to an unprecedented biodiversity of seagrass habitats for turtles and breeding grounds for sharks, humpback and blue whales.
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Scientists Record Sharks Making Sounds Intentionally for the First Time

Greek Reporter 27 Mar 2025
Mustelus lenticulatus or rig shark that intentionally produces clicking sound ... For the first time, scientists have recorded a type of shark making clicking sounds, surprising researchers and raising new questions about shark behavior.
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Scientists Record First Sounds Ever Known To Be Made By Sharks

Slashdot 27 Mar 2025
Whales sing, orcas squeal, and sea turtles croak. But sharks are more the strong, silent type. Now, researchers report the first evidence that sharks make sounds, too, described ...
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'Unprecedented' mass bleaching drains life from Australian reef

The Philadelphia Inquirer 27 Mar 2025
... ocean scientist Kate Quigley said, part of a UNESCO World Heritage-listed marine park renowned for vibrant corals and migrating whale sharks.
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Good Morning, News: Tenants Unions Fight Back, Feds Turn Their Gaze on PPS, and Trump's ...

Portland Mercury 26 Mar 2025
"Two Killer Whales Are Hunting Great White Sharks—To Eat Their Livers." ... These orcas have apparently succeeded in scaring great white sharks away from the area, which has had broader ecosystem impacts down the food chain.
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'Shocking' mass bleaching drains life from Australian reef

Knoxville Daily Sun 26 Mar 2025
A months-long marine heatwave had "cooked" the sprawling Ningaloo Reef, ocean scientist Kate Quigley said, part of a world heritage-listed marine park renowned for vibrant corals and migrating whale sharks ... More from this section ... - 'Just shocking' -.
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‘Unprecedented’ mass bleaching drains life from Australian reef

Dawn 26 Mar 2025
A months-long marine heatwave had “cooked” the sprawling Ningaloo Reef, ocean scientist Kate Quigley said, part of a world heritage-listed marine park renowned for vibrant corals and migrating whale sharks ...It’s just shocking ... — AFP ... .
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6 of the weirdest animals in Maine’s woods and waters

Bangor Daily News 26 Mar 2025
This story was originally published in January 2024 ... Monkfish (Lophius americanus) ... Sea squirt (Didemnum vexillum) ... Credit ... These impossibly gigantic fish can easily be mistaken for big pieces of ocean debris or even for whales or sharks ... Credit ... Credit.
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The killer whales hunting great whites — to eat their livers

Independent online (SA) 25 Mar 2025
While other killer whales have been documented preying on sharks in the area, Port and Starboard are believed to be the primary offenders ... Marine biologists discovered that a killer whale had eaten the shark's liver.Port and Starboard.
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Orca spotted off Outer Banks, researchers say

Daily Press 25 Mar 2025
Great white sharks have ... In March 2024, the Natural History Museum in London reported a pair of killer whales had been attacking great white sharks off South Africa “for their nutrient-rich livers.”.
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Two killer whales are hunting great white sharks — to eat their livers

The Washington Post 25 Mar 2025
Two killer whales have killed dozens — if not hundreds — of sharks, including the vaunted great whites, with an ease that has stunned marine biologists ... .
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Summer camp guide 2025: Academic and STEM camps

Orange County Register 23 Mar 2025
ADVENTURES IN STEM SCIENCE CAMP. ● Ages ... ● June 16-Aug. 5 ... ● 714-923-3191 ... BIONERDS ... 22 ... Campers learn about the ocean and marine science by going on whale watching trips, exploring the institute’s shark touch tank and sailing on a historic tall ship.
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‘This is absolutely nuts’: Rare shark sighting in Orange County caught on video

Yahoo Daily News 22 Mar 2025
A whale watching tour was surprised with what organizers called a ...
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Fatal boat strikes — which took life of beloved whale this year — on the ...

New York Post 22 Mar 2025
This ‘great’ barrier reef is an elite snorkelers’ secret with whale sharks and a luxury safari camp. Over 150 whales stranded on Australian beach cry out as rough seas hinder rescue efforts ... Lawrence/Gotham Whale.
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