Biggest Whale Shark "Swarm" Found: (Amazing Pics)

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You could call it a whale of a "swarm"—the biggest observed gathering of whale sharks was spotted off the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula in 2009, according to a recent study. Snapped from a small plane, the above picture shows a white boat (bottom right) amid the fishy gathering. Usually the oceans' biggest fish—which reach lengths of up to 40 feet (12 meters)—stick to themselves as they cruise the world's tropical waters looking for plankton and other small prey. But aerial and surface surveys spotted at least 420 of the sharks rubbing fins as they gorged on eggs freshly spawned by little tunny fish, a relative of the mackerel.

Swarm From the Sky
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Looking like rice grains, four boats carefully weave through the 2009 whale shark swarm in an aerial picture.

There's no evidence the fish were interacting or working together to catch more food, as dolphins sometimes do by herding schools of fish, Maslanka said. "They're big animals, but their brains aren't all that big." But the assembly did reveal a new spawning ground for little tunny—as well as a new aspect of whale shark behavior, he said. Instead of stuffing themselves to the gills and moving on after one spawning event, as scientists had suspected, the sharks hung around for a while to take advantage of successive spawnings.

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Whale sharks predictably congregate along Mexico's eastern coast each summer, but where they roam the rest of the year remains a puzzle, Maslanka noted.

Source: news.nationalgeographic.com...#/whale-shark-swarm-yucatan-peninsula-aerial-c lose_36480_600x450.jpg


Amazing creatures. And apparently smart-to some degree. Interesting.

I think we have so much more to learn from our Sea friends. Honestly, I really didn't care, or rather know much about whale until recently. The wife, in an effort to get us away from the societial issues we hate, made a cabin rental for us on Campobello Island, New Brunswick Canada. (off the coast of Maine).

Well, she did know it but in late August and early September, whale come to the island inlet to feed. It was like they put a show on for us.... Amazing. You can go on boats to see them, maybe... but the cabins we know of over look the inlet.... you hear them blowing all night long... they are that close. [atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/1debcb57915c.jpg[/atsimg]
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(if you are interested in going there, let me know).

Anyway, back on topic.

I found this video of the topic...: Wow. Some ballys people. I don't think I could swim amongst them like that. No Way.

reply to post by anon72


Whale sharks are completely harmless, would be an awesome experience to swim with them.

Some great shots of the swarm there.

reply to post by anon72
Nice find, very interesting that they gather there to feed on spawn.

Star and flag.

reply to post by Chadwickus


Hamless, except in their shear weight and eating abilities.

Getting trapped between two of them couldn't be fun...

And accidently eaten up by one wouldn't be fun either....

I bet the diver in the 3rd photo experienced the "Pucker Effect" on that one.

Thats freaking awesome!
I never thought we would see so many in one place. I didn't even know they congregated to that level either.
Thanks for sharing.

reply to post by anon72


Whale sharks are filter feeders, people are way to big for them to eat.

Originally posted by Chadwickus
Whale sharks are completely harmless, would be an awesome experience to swim with them.

Don't get me wrong, I completely agree that it would be an amazing experience.
However, being in this exact situation, I would be having my doubts.


I am pretty sure that the diver is actually back farther, and the whale shark is probably going to swim right past, but that would still be quite a frightening experience.

.... and a hell of a rush.

reply to post by BrokenCircles

.... and a hell of a rush.

Yeah, just hope your name isn't Jonah! :O

I'd love to do that, I really would... I just hope when one got that close it wouldn't be offended if I made potty in the water. Holy crow, that would be a rush.

GREAT THREAD! S&F!

peace

Whale sharks are filter feeders, people are way to big for them to eat.

True, but that doesnt mean that you couldnt inadverdently get caught up in their giant plankton sucker.
I think whale sharks are amazing and I am an adrenaline junky but when it came down to it, you wont catch me in these waters! I would soil there beautiful swamming grounds and Im sure they wouldnt appreciate that.

Cool pictures, it's good to see that all sea life isn't dead from the Oil Spill. In that one picture with the diver underwater, it looks like he's about to get swallowed whole.

But aerial and surface surveys spotted at least 420 of the sharks

That's a fine number of whale sharks

reply to post by TupacShakur


And so many of them finding their way to that exact spot??? At the same time... Amazing.

What would our lives be without cameras!

Originally posted by Chadwickus
reply to post by anon72

 

Whale sharks are completely harmless, would be an awesome experience to swim with them.

Some great shots of the swarm there.

I would love to see you try to swim with them in the first picture.

reply to post by blackrain17


Clearly not while they're feeding.

All I'm saying is that they won't go out of their way to attack a person.

reply to post by TupacShakur


Lol tupac you sh*t, i was going to comment on the glorious number.

HAIL 420 ! haha

reply to post by anon72


awe i really adore these creatures of the sea as they are toothless so to speak and are really gentle giants of the sea ..

SNF for you for sharing this

i know they're harmless but what if they accidentally gulp you down?

that is terrifying.

end of the world obviously

reply to post by Chadwickus

Harmless and beautiful and simply amazing.

I was lucky enough to see one crossing the wake of my boat years ago. It was larger than my boat, its head the size of a dinner table. Even though I knew we were in no danger my blood ran cold for a moment. To see them schooling like that would be... I don't know what to say.

reply to post by Phage


Wow. Did you happen to get a pic/vid.

One would bother me... if I was in a small enough boat. Out of awe I think.

But 400+. that would be crazy, all of them flopping around on a mad feeding frenzy.

Add in any following scavengers etc.

In so far as I can remember the worst injury by a Whale Shark around Phuket Thailand, was when a diver who was taking video taping some didn't watch his six, and had one run into him. Shark skin is like rough sandpaper really rough sandpaper, lost a bunch of skin on one side of his body. Other than that I have never heard of an injury by one.

However yes you do get a major pucker factor when you see one coming if you aren't expecting them.