WHALE SHARK ON THE MOVE
Off the coast of Venezuela
Featured in Planet Earth from 2006
Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)
Fab fact
RELATED INFORMATION
Common name
Species name
Rhincodon typus
ARKive fact
The whale shark is the largest fish in the world and feeds on planktonic organisms and small fish by suction filter-feeding.
Conservation status
Vulnerable
Distribution
Found throughout the world's oceans in temperate and tropical waters, most commonly in a global band around the equator between ±30-40° latitude.
Habitat
Inhabits shallow coastal areas as well as the open ocean. This species prefers warm water, with surface temperatures between 21-30 degrees Celsius, but can tolerate water temperatures experienced on deep dives (over 1,000 metres) as low as 3 degrees Celsius.
To view more media and information on this species visit www.arkive.org
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