Whale Shark diving can be an exhilarating experience for all of those outdoor adventurists who long for diving in deep waters.  Whale Sharks are sea creatures with long, elongated bodies.  Also known as Rhincodon Typus, they are the largest fish in the world.  Sleek and beautiful, whale sharks are a pleasure to watch from within touching distance or from a boat when going out on diving expeditions.  Diving tours can be a boon to the local population financially and can help in the improvement of their standard of living. They also help in the development of tourism in that particular City or state.  

Nature of Whale Sharks

Docile by nature, whale sharks get disturbed easily by touching or being chased and care should be taken by the diver’s to ensure they do not distract them in any way. Whale sharks are huge creatures and can grow up to 12m (40 ft) in length and due to the sheer magnitude of their size, they run the risk of being hit by a boat.  

They generally feed on small fish, pieces of wood or planktons and are found in warm waters.  There are around 14 countries around the world where whale sharks are found namely Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Ningaloo Ref, Gulf of Mexico, Galapagos, Belize, Honduras, South Africa, Mozambique, Seychelles, Maldives, and India. 

Conservation of Whale Sharks

It is estimated that Shark Tourism is worth 47.5$ millions every year and divers should follow the guidelines set by the diving organizations stringently before venturing into the sea.  The Shark Trust, the Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management and PADI have set forth some guidelines for protecting these fabulous creatures.  Some of them are:

Never make an attempt to chase, touch or ride these creatures.

Never in any way obscure their free movements in the water.

A minimum distance of 3 meters should be maintained for safety purposes.

Avoid using flash photographs.

Underwater motor generated diving should not be carried out as this may disturb thewhale sharks.  

Ban on Whale Shark hunting

Taiwan is famous for its whale shark meat and due to the constant migration of these creatures; it becomes difficult to keep track of their numbers.  Although there has been a reduction in the hunting of on them in recent times, there is still the need for more awareness campaigns to protect them from extinction. The CITES Conference of 2002 has placed whale sharks to be threatened creatures and this is but one step in the preservation of these sharks.  

Diving should be undertaken for the sheer pleasure of observing sea creatures in their natural environment as also to gather more information about them and it is the duty of every diver to see that they follow the old adage of “Live and Let Live” policy to the full. Outdoor adventure should not be done at the expense of harming a creature for selfish motives.