Whale Shark Photo © Toby Gibson

Whale Shark Rhincodon typus

Being the largest fish in the world, the Whale Shark earns its name from closely resembling a whale. With its flattened head, its mouth stretches almost as wide as the body. The Whale Shark's markings are distinctive with its greyish blue colour on the back and sides, scattered with yellow blotches.

Whale Shark Photo © Toby Gibson

Typically found in the open ocean around the world, whale sharks can also often be seen close to shore near coral reefs. Little is known about the natural ecology of this species, but they are known to be vulnerable to exploitation from an increase in the sale of their flesh, for example to use in shark fin soup.

The Whale Shark is classified as Vulnerable by IUCN (See IUCN Red List of Threatened Species for more information on the classification of the Whale Shark).

More Information about Whale Sharks and Their Habitat

• The World Land Trust's Reef & Mangrove Project in the Philippines protects the reefs the Whale Shark and other threatened wildlife species need.
• Find more information on the Whale Shark on ARKive: Images of life on Earth