A whale of a time... but enviro issues surface
MARINE biologists and conservationists have spoken out about a video doing the rounds on social media, in which a man was filmed jumping off a boat to swim with a whale shark.
Listed on South Africa’s TOPS (threatened or protected species) database, the whale shark is listed by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as endangered.
This protected status makes it unlawful, and it is considered harassment, to be within 20m of a whale shark.
While it is unclear where in South Africa the video was filmed, the message from the marine scientist and conservation fraternity is clear – it is unlawful to swim with the fish. The boat skipper was, however, commended for not starting the engines when the whale shark swam right up to the boat, as the propellers could have injured the fish.
‘I do believe this is illegal, but Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife can only fine them if this took place in a marine protected area,’ said Ezemvelo spokesman, Musa Mntambo,
The Department of Environmental Affairs (DFFE) is the governing body to which such incidents must be reported, but they could not be reached for comment.
Harmless to people, whale sharks are well known to swim under boats in an attempt to remove their barnacles.
It is the largest shark, and indeed the largest fish, and can reach a maximum length of 18 metres. Most specimens that have been studied, however, measured 12 metres and weighed 15 tons.
There is only one species of whale shark, and it is found in all the sub-tropical oceans of the world.
They are easily distinguishable by their white spotted colouration, with each individual shark sporting its own ‘fingerprint’ markings.
This allows individual sharks to be identified, catalogued and monitored by scientists.
They feed on plankton and travel long distances to find enough food to sustain their size, and to reproduce.
Their 1.5m-wide mouths contain 300 to 350 rows of tiny teeth which are not used in feeding.
Adult whale sharks are often found feeding at the ocean surface, but may dive to 1 000 metres. Females give birth to live young, but where pupping occurs and where the youngest animals are found remains a mystery as they are very rarely seen.
While whale sharks are usually seen individually, they can gather in groups of up to 100 individuals when there is an abundance of plankton on which to feed.
Despite whale sharks’ protected status in many countries, their numbers are in decline globally.
Shark tourism is a threat as it can interrupt their feeding and they can be injured by boat propellers.
Other threats include demand for their meat, fins and oil, and they are victims of bycatch.
These ‘gentle giants of the sea’ can live for up to 100 years.