Whale shark | Size, Diet, & Facts

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id="content" class="md-content"> <div class="md-article-container template-desktop"> <div class="infinite-scroll-container article last"> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content md-expanded" data-topic-id="641437"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/whale-shark">whale shark</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/animal/whale-shark">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref285862"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/animal/whale-shark#ref285862">General features</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref285863"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/animal/whale-shark#ref285863">Distribution</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref285864"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/animal/whale-shark#ref285864">Body structure</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref285865"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/animal/whale-shark#ref285865">Behaviour</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref285866"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/animal/whale-shark#ref285866">Feeding habits</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref285867"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/animal/whale-shark#ref285867">Reproduction and longevity</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref285868"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/animal/whale-shark#ref285868">Interactions with humans</a></li></ul></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/whale-shark/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/whale-shark">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/whale-shark/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/5141-004-C35B0F28/Whale-shark.jpg" 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href="https://cdn.britannica.com/96/135696-050-6990091A/whale-shark-snorkeler-Australia-coast.jpg" data-href="/media/1/641437/139375" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/96/135696-004-0041F23D/whale-shark-snorkeler-Australia-coast.jpg" alt="whale shark" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/27/127327-050-5E4352A6/Whale-shark.jpg" data-href="/media/1/641437/136168" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/27/127327-004-067F1A1F/Whale-shark.jpg" alt="Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)." height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/63/100863-004-0E0B9B02/Body-plans-sharks.jpg" data-href="/media/1/641437/106879" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/63/100863-004-0E0B9B02/Body-plans-sharks.jpg" alt="Shark body plans" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button 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They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-12T00:00:00CST" >Nov 12, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/whale-shark/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/animal/shark" topicid="538851">shark</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/whale-shark"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.newsweek.com/scuba-diver-lottery-face-face-rare-ocean-creature-1980463" rel="nofollow">Scuba Diver Wins 'Lottery' Coming Face-To-Face With Rare Ocean Creature</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 9, 2024, 9:39 PM ET (Newsweek) </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref264212"></span>whale shark</strong>, (<em>Rhincodon typus</em>), gigantic but harmless <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/shark" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">shark</a> (family Rhincodontidae) that is the largest living <span id="ref1273776"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/fish" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">fish</a>. Whale sharks are found in marine <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="environments" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/environments" data-type="MW">environments</a> worldwide but mainly in tropical <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">oceans</a>. They make up the only <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/species-taxon" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">species</a> of the genus <em>Rhincodon</em> and are classified within the order Orectolobiformes, a group containing the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/carpet-shark" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">carpet sharks</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref285862"> <h2 class="h1">General features</h2> <section data-level="2" id="ref285863"> <h2 class="h2">Distribution</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Whale sharks inhabit warm waters around the world. They are found in the western <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlantic-Ocean" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Atlantic Ocean</a> from the coast of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/New-York-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">New York</a> in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">United States</a> to central Brazil, including the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Gulf-of-Mexico" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Gulf of Mexico</a> and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Caribbean-Sea" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Caribbean Sea</a>. In the eastern Atlantic they occur from the coasts of Senegal, Mauritania, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cabo-Verde" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Cape Verde</a> to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Gulf-of-Guinea" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Gulf of Guinea</a>. Whale sharks also inhabit the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Indian-Ocean" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Indian Ocean</a> and the western and central Pacific. They have appeared off the coast of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/South-Africa" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">South Africa</a> and in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Red-Sea" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Red Sea</a>, as well as near Pakistan, India, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sri-Lanka" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Sri Lanka</a>, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Papua-New-Guinea" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Papua New Guinea</a>, Australia, New Caledonia, and Hawaii. In the eastern Pacific they can be found from southern California in the United States to northern Chile.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="2" id="ref285864"> <h2 class="h2">Body structure</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The whale shark is enormous and reportedly capable of reaching a maximum length of about 18 metres (59 feet). Most <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="specimens" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/specimens" data-type="EB">specimens</a> that have been studied, however, weighed about 15 tons (about 14 metric tons) and averaged about 12 metres (39 feet) in length. The body coloration is distinctive. Light vertical and horizontal stripes form a checkerboard pattern on a dark background, and light spots mark the fins and dark areas of the body.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/animal-group-names" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/65/161265-131-DCC952FE/Sea-otter.jpg" alt="Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Animal Group Names</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <div class="mb-20"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="309248" data-asm-type="infogram"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="infogram"><script id="infogram_0__/vEugbUSIpVtdJGxPWv3i" src="https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed.js?Itp" type="text/javascript" title="All About Sharks."></script></div></figure></div></div> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The head is broad and flat, with a somewhat truncated snout and an immense mouth. Several prominent ridges of hard tissue, often called keels, extend horizontally along each side of the body to the tail. There are five large <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/gill-respiratory-system" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">gill</a> slits on each side of the head region, just above the pectoral fins. Special spongy tissue inside the gill slits that is supported by the shark’s gill arches forms a unique <span id="ref1273778"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/filter-feeding" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">filter used in feeding</a>. A short, <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="rudimentary" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rudimentary" data-type="MW">rudimentary</a> sensory organ called a barbel hangs from each nostril. The shark has a large front dorsal (top) fin and smaller rear dorsal and anal fins.</p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> </section> </section> <span class="marker h3"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref285865"> <h2 class="h1">Behaviour</h2> <section data-level="2" id="ref285866"> <h2 class="h2">Feeding habits</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="159842" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/33/151933-050-E7E77CA0/Whale-shark-swimming-trevallies-front-predators-filter-feeding.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/641437/159842"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/33/151933-050-E7E77CA0/Whale-shark-swimming-trevallies-front-predators-filter-feeding.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/33/151933-050-E7E77CA0/Whale-shark-swimming-trevallies-front-predators-filter-feeding.jpg?w=300" alt="whale shark" data-width="1392" data-height="977" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/33/151933-050-E7E77CA0/Whale-shark-swimming-trevallies-front-predators-filter-feeding.jpg" data-href="/media/1/641437/159842">whale shark</a><span>Whale shark (<em>Rhincodon typus</em>) swimming with golden trevallies (<em>Gnathanodon speciosus</em>), which ride in front of the filter-feeding shark, protected from predators.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The whale shark is one of three large filter-feeding sharks; the others are the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/megamouth-shark" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">megamouth shark</a> (<em>Megachasma pelagios</em>) and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/basking-shark" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">basking shark</a> (<em>Cetorhinus maximus</em>). The whale shark forages for food at or near the surface of the ocean. Its large mouth is well adapted to filter feeding and contains more than 300 rows of small, pointed teeth in each jaw. Ichthyologists consider these teeth to be vestigial structures, and they do not play a role in feeding. As the shark swims with its mouth open, seawater enters the mouth cavity and filters through the gill slits. The meshlike tissue of the internal gill slits acts like a sieve, catching <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/plankton" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">plankton</a> and other small organisms while allowing the water to pass through and return to the sea. Periodically the shark will close its mouth to swallow the trapped prey. The whale shark sometimes feeds with its tail down and its opened mouth pointing up toward the surface, allowing water and food to enter the mouth as the shark bobs up and down. The captured prey includes both <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/zooplankton" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">zooplankton</a> (small animals such as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/copepod" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">copepods</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/shrimp-crustacean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">shrimp</a>, and other <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/invertebrate" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">invertebrates</a>) and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/phytoplankton" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">phytoplankton</a> (such as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/algae" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">algae</a> and other marine plant material). The whale shark also eats small and large fish and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/mollusk" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">mollusks</a>, including <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/sardine" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">sardines</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/anchovy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">anchovies</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/mackerel" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">mackerels</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/squid" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">squid</a>, and even small <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/tuna-fish" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">tuna</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/albacore-fish" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">albacore</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="2" id="ref285867"> <h2 class="h2">Reproduction and longevity</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Although the whale shark is usually <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="solitary" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/solitary" data-type="EB">solitary</a>, it is sometimes found in schools of up to hundreds of individuals. These animals are found mainly in the open sea, but they sometimes come near the shore. Although their reproductive biology is not well known, scientists presume that whale sharks give birth to fully formed live young. The smallest free-living whale sharks that have been measured were 55 cm (1.8 feet) long, which is likely their approximate size at birth. Each litter contains about 16 young, but litters of many more are possible. In the mid-1990s a female whose uterus contained nearly 300 young was caught near <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Taiwan" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Taiwan</a>.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Scientists estimate that the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="life span" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/life span" data-type="EB">life span</a> of the whale shark ranges from 60 to 100 years.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="2" id="ref285868"> <h2 class="h2">Interactions with humans</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="139375" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/96/135696-050-6990091A/whale-shark-snorkeler-Australia-coast.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/641437/139375"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/96/135696-050-6990091A/whale-shark-snorkeler-Australia-coast.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/96/135696-050-6990091A/whale-shark-snorkeler-Australia-coast.jpg?w=300" alt="whale shark" data-width="1600" data-height="1174" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/96/135696-050-6990091A/whale-shark-snorkeler-Australia-coast.jpg" data-href="/media/1/641437/139375">whale shark</a><span>A whale shark (<em>Rhincodon typus</em>) and a snorkeler off the coast of Australia.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Whale sharks do not pose a danger to humans. Many individual whale sharks have been approached, examined, and even ridden by divers without showing any sign of aggression. They may, out of curiosity, approach and examine people in the water. Whale sharks have occasionally bumped sportfishing boats, but this is most likely a reaction to the bait being dangled by the anglers above. These sharks are sometimes struck by boats as they swim at or near the surface.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Whale sharks are of little interest in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/commercial-fishing" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">commercial fishing</a>. However, they have been caught accidentally as <span id="ref1276624"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/bycatch" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">bycatch</a> in some areas, and they have been caught for food in Pakistan, India, Taiwan, the Philippines, and China, where they are eaten fresh or dried and salted. Since 2016 the whale shark has been listed as <span id="ref1273777"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/endangered-species" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">endangered</a> by the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/International-Union-for-Conservation-of-Nature" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">International Union for Conservation of Nature</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span> </section> </section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span> <span class="md-signature">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/John-P-Rafferty/6747">John P. 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Whale shark | Size, Diet, & Facts | Britannica