The whale shark is the largest species of fish in the ocean. But is it a whale, or a shark? The whale shark is in fact a shark. They can reach up to 40 feet in length, and can weigh up to 40 tons.

It is theorized that whale sharks have very long lifespans, living as long as 130 years 

What sets them apart from other species of sharks is that it filters feeds to get its food. Due to it’s tiny teeth, it can only eat “[…] small shrimp, fish and plankton.” (WWF.org) Whale sharks will swim with their mouth open, filtering water through their mouth/ gills and swallowing their food. 

Whale sharks can be identified by their large size, flat face/ mouth, and gray backs with decorative white spots. The pattern of spots on a whale shark’s back are never the same per individual whale shark, so scientists can keep track of them by memorizing the pattern of their spots.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “Whale sharks are found in all tropical and warm-temperate seas around the world, preferring water temperatures of 68-77° Fahrenheit.” 

Considering whale sharks do not see humans as prey, and the formation of their mouth/teeth doesn’t even allow them to properly eat humans (or chew at all), whale sharks are not a threat to humans. American Oceans says, “[…] they’re pretty docile, and interactions with swimmers are generally peaceful.” 

Whale sharks really don’t have any known predators. Some smaller whale sharks may get targeted by other species of sharks, but the biggest threat to whale sharks is humans. While there isn’t an exact number on the population of whale sharks, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the species as endangered.