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SPECIES PROFILE

Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)

Rhincodon

IUCN STATUS

Endangered

Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) — Tropical and warm temperate oceans worldwide; the Yucatan Peninsula aggregation off Isla Holbox/Mujeres is the largest known seasonal aggregation in the world

CONSERVATION STATUS

Endangered

CLASS

Chondrichthyes

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE

Tropical and warm temperate oceans worldwide; the Yucatan Peninsula aggregation off Isla Holbox/Mujeres is the largest known seasonal aggregation in the world

DIET

Filter feeder

HABITAT

Tropical and warm temperate ocean surface waters (epipelagic zone); aggregates in productive upwelling areas; occasionally enters shallower water near reefs

🔬 Classification

PHYLUM

Chordata

CLASS

Chondrichthyes

ORDER

Orectolobiformes

FAMILY

Rhincodontidae

GENUS

Rhincodon

📋 Description

SIZE

Up to 12 m (females larger); weight up to 19,000 kg — the world's largest fish

COLORATION

Dark grey-blue with white spots and pale horizontal stripes in a unique checkerboard pattern; wide flat head; enormous mouth (up to 1.5 m wide); white belly

ADAPTATIONS

Filter feeds by swimming slowly with mouth open or actively pumping water; can process 600,000 litres per hour; longest-lived fish — possibly over 100 years

🌿 Ecology

HABITAT

Tropical and warm temperate ocean surface waters (epipelagic zone); aggregates in productive upwelling areas; occasionally enters shallower water near reefs

DIET

Filter feeder

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Tropical and warm temperate oceans worldwide; the Yucatan Peninsula aggregation off Isla Holbox/Mujeres is the largest known seasonal aggregation in the world

REPRODUCTION

Ovoviviparous; females carry hundreds of eggs internally; pups born live; biology poorly known due to deep-water births

DIET DETAILS

Zooplankton (copepods, krill, fish eggs), small fish (sardines, anchovies), and squid filtered from surface waters

⚠️ Threats & Conservation

PRIMARY THREATS

Bycatch; direct harvest in parts of Asia for fins and meat; vessel strikes; ingestion of plastic; the Yucatan aggregation is threatened by irresponsible tourism

💡 Interesting Facts

1

The Whale Shark aggregation off the Yucatan Peninsula is the largest known gathering of this species in the world — over 400 individuals have been counted in a single day feeding on fish spawn.

2

Despite being the largest fish in the ocean, the Whale Shark feeds on some of the smallest prey; it filters enough water to fill an Olympic swimming pool every 30 minutes.

🔭 Sighting Guide

📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT

Isla Holbox near Cancún, Quintana Roo, is the departure point for the world's most accessible Whale Shark snorkelling

Isla Mujeres near Cancún, Quintana Roo, is a prime location for Whale Shark snorkelling tours from June to September

Bahía de los Ángeles, BCN, also has seasonal Whale Shark aggregations in the Gulf of California from June to November

🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT

June to September off Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo; tour operators depart daily from both islands for guaranteed Whale Shark encounters.

🎯 SIGHTING TIPS

Summer. The world's largest fish aggregates off Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres from June to September; snorkelling with Whale Sharks is world-famous.