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.
Whale shark, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Today in History
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Indian Head Cove, Bruce Peninsula National Park, Canada
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World Oceans Day
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Tombeau du Géant in Bouillon, Belgium
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Traditional red fishermens cabins, Reine, Norway
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Solo on the savannah
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Purple bliss as far as the eye can see
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Home of the ‘world’s worst smelling food’?
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Keel-billed toucan, Costa Rica
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Italica, an old Roman city in Santiponce, Andalusia, Spain
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Silvereyes
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Himalaya mountain range
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Green-crowned brilliant hummingbird
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Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
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Wait, mountain – you shall bear my castle!
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Ever seen garlic bloom?
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International Mountain Day
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What can you see from this tower?
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Andean cocks-of-the-rock, Ecuador
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Swaminarayan Akshardham, Delhi
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Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh
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Hello, is it tea you’re looking for?
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Splendid leaf frog
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World Hippo Day, a giant celebration
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Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
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Getting starry-eyed at the moon
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Bowling Ball Beach, California, USA
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King of the jungle? Nope
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Shark Awareness Day
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2024 Toronto International Film Festival
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Ancient town of Sorano, Tuscany, Italy