What is whale sharks eating habits?
Whale Sharks feed on wide variety of planktonic (microscopic) and nektonic (larger free-swimming) prey, such as small crustaceans, schooling fishes, and occasionally on tuna and squids. Also, phytoplankton (microscopic plants) and macroalgae (larger plants) may form a component of the diet.
Where do whale sharks feed?
The whale shark is a filter feeder – one of only three known filter-feeding shark species (along with the basking shark and the megamouth shark). It feeds on plankton including copepods, krill, fish eggs, Christmas Island red crab larvae and small nektonic life, such as small squid or fish.
What are the habits of a whale shark?
Whale sharks are solitary creatures. They don’t shy away from sharing feeding grounds with other whale sharks, though. The Red Sea is a popular area for juvenile whale sharks to hang out together and eat, for example. There isn’t much else known about these types of sharks and their social habits.
Why is the name whale shark incorrect?
The name “whale shark” can be confusing because they’re not really whales. They’re a species of shark, which is classified as a fish. Whales are mammals, but whale sharks are the largest fish in the world.
Where do whale sharks migrate?
Preferring warm waters, whale sharks populate all tropical seas. They are known to migrate every spring to the continental shelf of the central west coast of Australia. The coral spawning of the area’s Ningaloo Reef provides the whale shark with an abundant supply of plankton.
Do whale sharks have predators?
There are very few known predators of the whale shark, although blue marlin and blue sharks sometimes prey upon small individuals. The most significant threat to this species appears to be humans.
Do whale sharks have tongues?
Do sharks have tongues? Sharks have a tongue referred to as a basihyal. The basihyal is a small, thick piece of cartilage located on the floor of the mouth of sharks and other fishes. Taste is sensed by taste buds located on the papillae lining the mouth and throat of the shark.
Why can’t you touch a whale shark?
Touching whale sharks can disturb the protective mucous layer on their skin – and it can also have unpleasant consequences for you or me. The tiny, tooth-like scales (known as dermal denticles) that cover the skin of most shark species can cause a painful graze known as “shark burn”.
What kind of food does a whale shark eat?
WHALE SHARK FOOD HABITS Whale Sharks feed on wide variety of planktonic (microscopic) and nektonic (larger free-swimming) prey, such as small crustaceans, schooling fishes, and occasionally on tuna and squids. Also, phytoplankton (microscopic plants) and macroalgae (larger plants) may form a component of the diet.
Which is the only shark that can filter feed?
The whale shark is only one of three known shark species that feeds in this way, with the others being the basking shark and the megamouth shark. However, each shark is known to perform their process of filter feeding in a different way from one another.
What does a whale shark do with its mouth open?
As the shark swims with its mouth open, seawater enters the mouth cavity and filters through the gill slits. The meshlike tissue of the internal gill slits acts like a sieve, catching plankton and other small organisms while allowing the water to pass through and return to the sea.
How does a whale shark interact with humans?
Interactions with humans. They may, out of curiosity, approach and examine people in the water. Whale sharks have occasionally bumped sportfishing boats, but this is most likely a reaction to the bait being dangled by the anglers above. These sharks are sometimes struck by boats as they swim at or near the surface.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jApMS38YR6w
