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Whale Sharks On Koh Tao
Whale Shark Description
The whale shark is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known fish in the sea. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 18.8m but pose no threat to humans. There are rules about how close you should be to them when diving on Koh Tao. You can be hit accidentally by its tail if you get too close. They are one of only 3 species of shark that are filter feeders and have estimated lifespans of between 80–130 years. Each fish has a unique pattern of spots on its body and that is how they can be identified, same as our fingerprints.
Whale shark, biggest fish in the sea
Where Can You See Them While Diving?
They can be seen at the deeper dive sites like Chumphon and South West pinnacles, but they can be found at Twins and White Rock and Hin Wong Pinnacle on rare occasions. So open water divers can see them easily because they are most often in shallow water as they feed. You don’t have to go deep, whale sharks are seasonal visitors to Koh Tao so seeing one is never guaranteed here. We don’t take part in any unnatural feeding unlike other places in the world. You are very lucky if you do see one on your open water course.
A whale shark feeding near the surface
What Do They Do
They have very large mouths and are filter feeders. Their mouths can contain over 300 rows of tiny teeth and 20 filter pads which it uses to feed almost exclusively on plankton and small fishes. The fish can be found in both coastal and oceanic habitats living in the open sea but not in the deep depths of the ocean. Very little is known about their reproduction cycle as they have only been observed mating twice. Still not much is known about their reproduction or how long they live and they have yet to be seen giving birth
The biggest fish in the sea
Want To Know More About Diving On Koh Tao?
SSI Fish Identification
