Snorkeling With A Whale Shark, Will Your Friends Believe You?

Every fisherman has a story of the big one that got away. Most of the time they are not really believed, we even use the term “fish tales” for something that is exaggerated. Would your friends believe you, if you told them you went snorkeling with a fish the size of a school bus? Or would they just think it was a fish tale? Well, a full-size school bus is between 35 feet (ca. 11 meters) and 45 feet (ca. 14 meters) long, which is about the same size as an adult whale shark.

"whale shark" by Olivier Roux is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

Despite the name, a whale shark is not a marine mammal, it is a fish. The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) belongs to the order Orectolobiformes (Carpet Sharks) which is composed of seven families, 13 genera, and 46 species globally. It is the largest fish in the world, which is on average 2 feet (ca. 61 cm) long at birth and around 30 feet (ca. 9 meters) when it reaches maturity. It will then weigh over 20 tons. Females are generally slightly larger than males. While the 4-foot (ca. 122 centimeters) wide mouth has over 3,000 teeth, they are small and not a danger unless you are a shrimp or krill. The whale shark does not chew its food, it is a filter feeder, eating plankton and similar items floating in the water. While they are found at the surface, They enjoy deep waters and are often found at depths of over 3,000 feet (ca. 914 meters). They are found mostly in the warm waters of the Mesoamerican Reef, Coastal East Africa, the Gulf of California, and the Coral Triangle. They are also known to migrate long distances as the season's change, at a top speed of 4 mph (6.44 km/h). If you are interested in learning more about their size, where they live, and what they eat, take a look at this info-graph.

Is Snorkeling or Scuba Diving Better with Whale Sharks?

The whale shark is on The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species as an endangered specie. In many locations where they were once hunted, they are now treated as a partner with tourism value. If you want to have a wild encounter with a whale shark, it is best to go on an organized tour whose purpose is to swim with these great creatures. While you might come across one on a typical dive trip, your chances of encountering one are better on an organized trip.

You will find that most of these locations are focused on snorkeling and in some destinations, scuba diving is banned. That is not necessarily a bad thing, as these encounters are near the surface. Typically, the locations are places where the whale sharks scoop plankton from the surface. Plus, snorkeling requires less planning and equipment. The exhaust bubbles from a scuba diver can cause the fish to move away.

Where ever you encounter these animals, treat them with respect. Do not touch them and stay to the side. Never block their path to get a better photograph.

Where Are The Best Places To Snorkel With Whale Sharks?

There are over a dozen destinations around the world that have become known for snorkeling with whale sharks. These locations generally have whale sharks year-round, however, as whale sharks are migratory there may only be a few in certain portions of the year. Also, for most of the year, the females are more solidary than the males. So you may not see the females.

• Mexico: Two of the areas that have frequent whale shark sightings are the Mesoamerican Reef and the Gulf of California. The northern reach of the Mesoamerican Reef is off the coast of Cancun and Cozumel, popular tourist as well as scuba diving destinations. The nearby Isla Mujeres and Isla Holbox have large concentrations of whale sharks from mid-May to mid-September. It is possible to see as many as 40 whale sharks from the surface. While whale sharks can be encountered year-round in the area, local regulations restrict planned whale shark encounters to the mid-May to mid-September time frame. The Pacific Ocean side of Mexico also offers the opportunity to encounter these gentle giants. Here, however, the time frame is different, and there are more opportunities for diving encounters. In the late fall, whale sharks migrate away from the cold ocean waters of the Pacific to the warmer waters of the Gulf of California. They will spend their winters here and the early part of spring. Cabo Pulmo National Park, La Paz, and Cabo San Lucas are popular tourism and diving destinations that are also popular for whale shark encounters.

• Belize: If you are a scuba diver, your best destination may be Belize between March and June, with Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes being your preferred target. Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes are part of a protected marine area (GSSCMR) in Belize, so there is plenty of marine life. Furthermore, mutton snapper and Nassau grouper, migrate to the area in late spring for spawning. The mass spawning, like a coral bloom, attracts whale sharks who fed on the eggs that are floating in the water. The spawning activity is highest at the full moon, so that is the best time to go. Whale sharks are attracted to the spawn “clouds” and feed within the water column, making the sightings more accessible to scuba divers. The whale sharks seem to show up whenever divers reach depths. Some scientists believe that whale sharks mistake the sounds of the divers and their air bubbles to be spawning activity and come looking for a fresh meal.

• Philippines: The Philippines is the northern bounty of the coral triangle and is becoming one of the premier diving destinations in the world. It has also embraced the protection of the whale shark and the development of Eco-tourism around these great fish. Researchers have documented over 1,600 individual whale sharks in Philippine waters. Donsol Bay on the southern portion of Luzon island (the same island as Manila) has earned the reputation for being one of the best places to snorkel with whale sharks in the world. Plankton and algae flow out of the Donsol River and into the bay, which is along a migratory path for these fish. Individual sharks may stay for months fattening up before moving on, with some staying to become longer-term residents. Large numbers are found between December to May, with the peak being February and April. Scuba diving is not allowed in Donsol Bay. Scuba divers may want to consider Tañon Strait or Malapascua in Cebu. These dive destinations are known for a wide range of marine mammals and shark species, as well as a transit route for whale sharks. Other whale shark destinations in the Philippines include Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte, Puerto Princesa in Palawan, and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.

• Australia: We all know of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The world's largest barrier reef is off the east coast of the country. But what do you know of the portion of Australia known as the Coral Coast? On the northwest coast of the country, we have the Ningaloo reef system. The Ningaloo Reef is the world's largest fringing reef, and one of the longest near-shore reef systems in the world. From March and July of each year, it is also the home of around 500 whale sharks. The whale sharks arrive to take advantage of massive coral spawning that occurs in April each year. Coral spawning is a phenomenon that has puzzled scientists for centuries. Large sections of a reef will release their sperm and egg cells into the water simultaneously. The whale sharks come to feed on them. The Coral Coast is remote but worth the effort to travel to. In addition to the whale sharks there are massive amounts of marine life. You can also scuba dive with humpback whales and manta rays at the Ningaloo Reef.
  

Do Your Part For Conservation

As mentioned in the introduction, the whale shark is an endangered species. Care must be taken so that you do not injure any of the surrounding fish. Before you book a whale shark encounter or go diving in waters where you might encounter one, please learn how to interact with them safely. Book only with tour and dive operators who inform you of the rules and enforce them. Destination Wildlife has an outstanding guide for whale sharks.

I would also like to suggest that you become a citizen scientist during your encounters if you can. Ecocean has developed a library of photographs and encourages divers and snorkelers to upload photographs they have taken. These images are used to identify specific whale sharks and to track their locations. Please visit the wildbook for sharks to understand what they need in the photographs. They will inform you when they match your photographs with a known whale shark, and you can see their history.