Whale shark is the largest living fish. It is known to reach a length of at least 46 feet (14 meters). Despite their size, whale sharks are harmless to people.
Whale sharks are dark gray with large white spots on the upper side of the body. They are white underneath, a pattern known as counter-shading. They have broad, flat heads with a wide mouth. Whale sharks feed on tiny organisms called plankton, which they scoop up with their huge mouths. Adult whale sharks have more than 300 rows of tiny, hooked teeth. However, these teeth do not play a role in feeding.
Whale sharks are found in tropical waters throughout the world. Scientists believe adult whale sharks live in the open ocean far from land. But juvenile sharks gather in large numbers in coastal regions with abundant plankton.
Whale sharks are ovoviviparous—that is, the female protects the eggs within her body, and the embryonic sharks develop initially in egg cases within the female. An embryo is an animal or plant in an early stage of development. However, the young whale sharks hatch near the end of their development and are born live. Newborn whale sharks are about 2 feet (60 centimeters) long.
Whale sharks are endangered and declining in number. They are targeted by fisheries for their liver, meat and fins. In addition, boats sometimes accidentally ram large whale sharks, causing considerable damage to both the shark and the boat.
