The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest fish species on Earth, reaching lengths of 12 metres or more and known for gentle filter‑feeding on plankton and small fish
Size and identification
Whale sharks are the largest living fish, with recorded individuals reaching lengths well beyond 10 metres and reports of specimens approaching or exceeding 12 metres, instantly recognisable by their broad, flattened heads and spotted skin pattern.
Feeding behaviour
Despite their enormous size, whale sharks are filter feeders that swim with wide mouths open to collect plankton, fish eggs and small schooling fish, using gill rakers to strain food from the water column.
Distribution and habitat
Whale sharks are found in warm tropical and subtropical seas worldwide, often occurring near productive coastal upwellings, seamounts and surface plankton blooms where feeding opportunities concentrate.
Ecological role and conservation
As gentle, wide‑ranging filter feeders, whale sharks play a role in surface ocean ecosystems and attract ecotourism interest, but populations face threats from bycatch, vessel strikes and habitat pressures. The species is the subject of international conservation attention and protections.
Research and human interaction
Scientists study whale sharks’ movements, growth and population structure using tagging and photographic identification, and responsible wildlife tourism focused on observation has become an important tool for research, awareness and local economies.
Takeaway
The whale shark combines extreme size with a gentle filter‑feeding lifestyle, making it a unique and charismatic inhabitant of the world’s warm seas and a priority species for research and conservation.