The Quest Bracelet

“We still have much to learn about whale sharks! One of the best, least invasive ways to understand their migration, seasonality, and habitat use is through tracking. Learning these patterns allows us to adjust current tourism practices, make better conservation decisions and fight for stricter regulations if necessary. Additionally, tracking migration patterns may allow us to gain more insight into whale shark breeding behaviors about which we currently know very little.”

To learn more, visit our partner directly at georgiaaquarium.org

“Whale sharks are tracked with satellite tags. We have used two different forms of satellite tags: fin-mounted and tow-behind tags. Tow-behind tags are attached to the skin of the animal and stay on for a few months before being shed. The fin-mounted tags are also eventually shed as they migrate out of the dorsal fin over time. Both tags record location (latitude/longitude), depth, temperature, and time. This allows us to recreate their movements and learn more about their migratory patterns!”

To learn more, visit our partner directly at georgiaaquarium.org

“As far as we can observe, neither of our attachment methods are harmful to the whale sharks in any way. There are many tag types and applications, and we use the least invasive, easiest to apply options.”

To learn more, visit our partner directly at georgiaaquarium.org

Yes, whale sharks are currently listed as “endangered” on the IUCN Red List. Specific threats to whale sharks include entanglement in fishing nets, boat strikes, ingestion of marine debris and microplastics, and in some cases, human interference through opportunistic fishing and unregulated tourism.

Like whales, these creatures are gentle, filter-feeding giants who do not bite or chew. But that’s where the similarities end, as whale sharks have cartilage instead of bone, making them true sharks.

The whale shark is the largest fish in the world and the largest fish known to have lived on this planet. With an average length between 18 and 32.8 ft (5.5–10 m), whale sharks are often compared to the size of a school bus! Because of its size and cartilaginous skeleton, it does not fossilize well, and in life it is very difficult to weigh accurately. 

Whale sharks have a huge mouth that can reach up to 4 ft (1.4 m) across. However, it eats some of the tiniest creatures in the ocean! The whale shark’s throat is very narrow, often compared to the size of a quarter, which means it can only ingest small zooplankton like sergestid shrimps and fish eggs, as well as krill, jellies, and small fish like sardines or anchovies. 

Whale sharks ingest these animals through different filter feeding behaviors aided by specialized flaps in their mouth called velum, which stop the backflow of water as the shark closes its mouth, preventing the loss of food.

Whale shark pups can be vulnerable prey to other large fish, but adults have few to no natural predators. Humans are the biggest threat to whale sharks.

The short answer? All over! Whale sharks are fans of temperate and tropical waters, spanning the tropical Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.

Whale sharks are estimated to live over 100 years, and don’t reach maturity until about 30 years old.