The Whale Sharks (Rhincodon typus) definitely belong to the Shark family, because due to their large size, they are often confused with whales. Unlike whales that use lungs to breathe, the
Whale sharks absorb oxygen from the water through their gills
2 They are the largest fish in the ocean!
The average size Whale shark that can be found in the bay
of La Paz are from 5 to 15 meters. The largest Whale shark ever recorded was 18.8 meters or 62 feet. Their large size can be compared to a school
bus and it is estimated that they can live up to 100 years.
3 Their food is made up of
the smallest organisms in
the sea!
The Whale sharks feed through a water
filtration system, which suck in large quantities and filter through their gill
crests. Their main food consists of
phytoplankton, krill, nekton and small
crustaceans, such as crab larvae and
squid. They have very small teeth that do
not play any major role in their diet.
4 They call them The Noble
Giants.
Whale sharks, despite their intimidating size, are totally harmless and
very peaceful animals. The speed of their
movement when swimming is only 3 km/h
or 1.86 miles per hour. Nor do they have
patterns of interaction with the humans like
dolphins or whales, since the Whale Sharks, although they detect us when we swim at a
certain distance from them, we are not of
their great interest. This allows us to swim
with them to admire their beauty and the
softness of their character.
5 Where can we find them?
The Whale sharks can be found
in all tropical and subtropical oceans of the world, as they migrate long
distances solely in search of food. The
Bay of La Paz, located in the Baja California
Sur Peninsula, has a geographical location
that allows perfect conditions for the
production of their precious food between
the months of October and April, where up
to 40 specimens of this majestic fish can be
observed in shallow waters.
In recent years, this activity of swimming
with the Whale sharks has become one of
the most predominant tourist activities
in the destination, which is why today
they are duly protected and regulated by
numerous conservation and government
organizations, which have established
strict rules for all nautical operators in the
bay. Their main responsibility is to care
for and preserve the good management
of the activity so these wonderful species
always return.
