One of the 26 sharks on WAnimals
Cartilaginous fish · Orectolobiformes · Rhincodontidae
Whale Shark
Rhincodon typus
It faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. See full glossary
The largest fish in the world, a gentle giant that feeds by filtering plankton and small fish despite its colossal size.
Weight
9 t – 20 t
Size
9 m – 12 m
Lifespan
70 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Irregular activity
Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Hard
Fun facts
- It can measure up to 18 metres long.
- Every shark has a unique pattern of spots.
- Despite its size, it feeds mainly on plankton.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - cartilaginous skeleton (chondrichthyan fish)
- Habitat & environment
- Tropical and warm-temperate ocean waters worldwide, both offshore and close to the coast
- Birth weight
- 55 - 64 cm long at birth
- Size at birth
- 55 - 64 cm long at birth
- Sexual maturity
- Male: ~25 years (some estimates range from 9 to 25 years) | Female: maturity estimated from 9 m in length, age not well established
- Gestation / incubation
- Birth has never been directly observed; it is ovoviviparous, with the eggs developing inside the female
- Litter / clutch size
- A female can carry hundreds of embryos (one documented case recorded around 300 pups)
Sources consulted: University of West Indies (OGATT); CMS (Convention on Migratory Species); AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Thai National Parks; Shark Research Institute; FishBase
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: November to May
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 20 de 93 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Whale Shark — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
EndangeredGreen Turtle
Chelonia mydas
Shortfin Mako
Isurus oxyrinchus
Spotted Eagle Ray
Aetobatus narinari
EndangeredGiant Manta
Mobula birostris
EndangeredHumphead Wrasse
Cheilinus undulatus
Golden Sandfish
Holothuria scabra
How to help
The whale shark is classified as endangered. Organizations such as Wildbook for Whale Sharks work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 13 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about whale shark.
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