Whale shark spotted in Bahraini waters!
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
A Whale shark, easily the largest of any fish alive and found in all tropical oceans of the world, was spotted in the waters of Bahrain. The species, designated as endangered and roams the oceans around the globe, generally alone, was spotted in the northern waters of the Kingdom.
Its presence in Bahrain’s water came to public attention through a video that went viral online. The clip shows a sailor calling his mate to jump in and play with the giant as the latter, behind the camera, can be heard refusing. “No, way,” the voice says. It is not clear from where exactly they shot the video.
There is also no comment available on the video from the authorities. Experts say the animal, which could grow as large as 20m, is very rarely found.
Adults are often seen feeding on the surface but may dive to as low as 1000m. Like fingerprints, whale sharks also adorn a unique pattern of spots on its body, allowing experts to identify individual sharks. These white spots also make it easy to distinguish these gentle giants.
Some of them could weigh up to 20 tonnes and may live up to 70 years. Despite its large size, the animal is docile and sometimes allows swimmers to ride on them. The animal is also listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature but hunted in some Asian countries.
Why do they matter?
Even though they travel alone, whale sharks are found to gather in large numbers in areas with abundant plankton food, which also indicates the overall health of our oceans. Demand for their meat, fins, and oil remains a threat to the species.
Related Posts