Whale sharks, some as large as 40 feet, are the gentlest giants in the ocean and they are threatened mainly by human hunting and by loss of habitat. The oil spill in the Gulf is threatening this majestic animal even further by rendering it's Gulf of Mexico habitat uninhabitable. Here is a brief introduction to the whale shark from the Whale Shark Project:
The Whale shark the biggest fish in the sea and there are only a few whale species larger than it. Thought to reach up to a possible 20 meters and 34 tonnes it seems difficult to believe that Whale Sharks feed on microscopic plankton rarely more than 3 mm in size. The combination of its immense size and characteristic checkerboard pattern makes the Whale Shark almost unmistakable and completely unforgettable.
The Whale Shark Project's site is here
The shark is important to the ecosystem because they are what is called apex predators meaning they are at the top of the ocean food chain. Removal of these predators would have a top down effect on the ocean's ecosystem just as the destruction of coral and algae at the bottom of the ocean has a bottom to top impact. See more below:
Please be sure to rec our mothership here http://www.dailykos.com/...
An example of this top down effect can be seen in a report called The Role of Sharks in
the Ecosystem by Mike Bennett:
It is recognised that removal of top predators in terrestrial and marine ecosystems can cause a ‘top-down’ effect on organisms at lower trophic levels. This has been clearly demonstrated in the case of the kelp forest ecosystems of the North
Pacific Ocean where sea urchin populations increased as the populations of sea otters (a major predator of urchins) declined due to commercial exploitation. The increased abundance
of algae-eating sea urchins promoted a decline in the kelp forests, changing the whole local ecology. In the North Atlantic the over-fishing of cod (Gadus morhua) stocks resulted in a dramatic population crash and broad-scale closure of the fishery. Cod stocks have failed to recover, probably due to a fundamental change in the food web, with other ground fish now exploiting the niche that cod once occupied.
The following information is from the Whale Shark Project
The biological characteristics of the Whale Shark make it extremely susceptible to overexploitation. Its large size, longevity and slow growth mean that recruitment is limited and also suggests that populations are slow to recover from disturbance.
The IUCN (World Conservation Union) Red List of Threatened Species (2000) lists the Whale Shark as Vulnerable. This means the species is not critically endangered or endangered but is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future.
The following summary introduces the IUCN status report for the whale shark (Norman, 2000):
The life history of this relatively scarce but cosmopolitan tropical and warm temperate species is poorly understood, but it may be relatively fecund and migrates extremely large distances. Catches have declined and populations apparently been depleted by harpoon fisheries in several countries targeting localised concentrations of this huge, slow-moving and behaviourally-vulnerable species, and there is incidental capture in other fisheries. Directed fisheries, high value in international trade, a K-selected life history, highly migratory nature, and low abundance make this species vulnerable to exploitation. In recent years dive tourism involving this species has developed in a number of locations around the world.
A full explanation of the red list status for the whale shark is available from the IUCN red list web site.
Here is a link to The Whale Shark Project
Whale sharks primarily feed on plankton which is undoubtedly covered in BP oil in the Gulf of Mexico so their survival in these waters is precarious.
10 whale sharks were recently sighted off the coast of Sarasota, FL, a highly unusual sight.
Whale sharks spotted near Sarasota
10connects.com
Sarasota, Florida - Mote Marine scientists have spotted a large group of whale sharks about 23 miles offshore, southwest of Sarasota.
The scientists first learned of the sharks' presence after receiving several dozen sighting reports, according to Dr. Bob Hueter, the director of the Center for Shark Research at Mote Marine Laboratory.
On Friday, scientists went out into the Gulf to see for themselves.
Hueter says, "We mounted an expedition off Sarasota and we had reports coming in off the water that a group of sharks were out there. Sure enough when we got out there to the spot -- about 23 miles out -- there were not one to two whales there, but 10 of them in one area. Very unusual for this coast."
The scientists spent four hours with the sharks. Hueter says they were finding food and appeared to be healthy.
You can read the whole article here.
Whale sharks pose no threat to humans but humans do pose a grave threat to these giants of the sea. Below are some organizations that are working to conserve whale sharks. Please take time to check them out and do what you can.
You can track the sharks here
Adopt a shark or other fish here
You can also adopt a shark here
You can also adopt a whale shark at the Georgia Aquarium here