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SPECIES PROFILE
Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)
Rhincodon
IUCN STATUS
Endangered
CONSERVATION STATUS
Endangered
CLASS
Chondrichthyes
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Tropical oceans worldwide
DIET
Carnivorous (filter feeder)
HABITAT
Warm open and coastal seas
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Chondrichthyes
ORDER
Orectolobiformes
FAMILY
Rhincodontidae
GENUS
Rhincodon
📋 Description
SIZE
Up to 12 m; up to 20 tonnes
COLORATION
Grey-blue with a checkerboard of white spots and stripes
ADAPTATIONS
Filter-feeds by cruising with its mouth open; harmless to people
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Warm open and coastal seas
DIET
Carnivorous (filter feeder)
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Tropical oceans worldwide
REPRODUCTION
Gives birth to live young
DIET DETAILS
Plankton and small fish
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Bycatch, boat strikes, finning
💡 Interesting Facts
1
The largest fish in the sea, gentle and slow, feeding only on tiny plankton.
2
Tofo in Mozambique is one of the most reliable places on Earth to swim with them.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Tofo Beach
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
October-April
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Snorkel the plankton-rich waters off Tofo; boats search the surface for the huge spotted shark.
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