Whale sharks spotted off East Coast Road

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Last Updated20/06/2023

Whale sharks were recently spotted near the sea off Panaiyur fishing village along the Chennai coast.

The whale shark is the largest fish in the world and the largest fish known to have lived on this planet.
Scientific Name: Rhincodon typus
They feed on plankton and travel large distances to find enough food to sustain their huge size, and to reproduce.
They are one of only three species of filter feeding sharks.
Distribution: They can be found in all temperate and tropical oceans around the world, except the Mediterranean Sea.

It is a large fish that can grow up to 60 feet long, though most specimens reach about 40 feet in length and weigh about 15 tons.
They are dark gray on top and light underneath, with a series of light spots or stripes covering the dark parts of their bodies. This helps to camouflage them as they swim.
Unlike most shark species, its mouth is located at the front of the head (terminal) instead of the underside of the rostrum (subterminal).
Filter Feeders:
- They are filter feeders and can neither bite nor chew. They can process more than 6,000 litres of water an hour through their gills.
- Inside the mouth are specialized flaps called velums. These stop the backflow of water as the whale shark closes its mouth, preventing the loss of food.
The whale shark also eats small and large fish and mollusks, including sardines, anchovies, mackerels, squid, and even small tuna and albacore.
Conservation Status IUCN: Endangered