Whale shark, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia Sep 4, 2023

Whale shark, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

Say hello to the largest fish in the world, the whale shark. These gentle giants are not related to whales, despite their impressive size of an average 12 metres in length. Whale sharks are calm creatures that are usually safe for divers to swim alongside. These sharks are filter feeders and consume plankton and small fish by sieving them through their gill plates. There has been a significant decline in their populations, with an estimated 63% decrease in their numbers in the last 75 years. Threats include being hit by boats or tangled in fishing gear and their habitats are being damaged by pollution, coastal development and over-fishing. Advocates work through education and community engagement to help safeguard whale sharks and preserve our oceans.

© Jason Edwards/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

The Riviera of India
Sep 4, 2024Dusky eagle-owls, Pakistan
Sep 4, 2025Grizzly bears, Katmai National Park and Preserve, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Himalaya mountain range
Dec 7, 2025A pine forest in Alsace, France
Apr 21, 2025International Dark Sky Week
‘Moravian Tuscany’
May 6, 2024The Roaches ridge in the Peak District, England
Sep 11, 2023Médoc, France
Nov 25, 2023Toledo, Spain
Don’t look down!
Sep 27, 2025Tank Lakes, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington, United States
Nov 27, 2025Eastbourne Pier, East Sussex, England
May 29, 2024World Otter Day
A time-worn medieval marvel
Sep 26, 2025Least chipmunk, Kootenai National Forest, Montana, United States
So close, yet so far
Dec 30, 2024Mount Field National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Trunks packed for road
What the heck is a distaff?
Remembering the Mahatma
Jun 30, 2024Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Jan 16, 2025Pinnacles National Park, California, United States
The ancient ruins of Nalanda
Jun 8, 2026World Oceans Day
Flying the flag for Pride
Sep 8, 2024International Literacy Day
A glimpse of the grandest of canyons
Jul 2, 2024Italica, an old Roman city in Santiponce, Andalusia, Spain
Aug 30, 2025International Whale Shark Day
Feb 7, 2026Salar de Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia
Jul 31, 2024Hoodoos, Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
Feb 27, 2024Polar bear cubs