The whale shark has a very wide distribution, found in all tropical and warm temperate seas, except in the mediterranean. A boy stands on a whale shark rhincodon typus thats being towed by fisherman along the coast of the eastern java island on oct 22, 20. At birth, the size of a pup is about 40 to 60 centimeters in length. The whale shark has a very widespread distribution, found in all tropical and warm temperate seas, except in the mediterranean. This shark shares the name of the cetaceans because of its massive.
Light vertical and horizontal stripes form a checkerboard. In fact, this small size of whale shark young ones makes them an easy prey for a number of predators in the vast marine biome. The whale shark s body is stout but streamlined, like that of a whale. The whale shark rhincodon typus, is a large filter feeding shark, and is the largest shark in the world, reaching lengths of up to 12 metres long, and weighing as much as 47, 000 pounds the whale shark has a very wide distribution, found in all tropical and warm temperate seas, except in the mediterranean. This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. No one has ever witnessed a whale shark mate or give birth. A blue whale can eat up to 7,715 pounds of krill small shrimplike organisms per day. They are not voracious predators, as they feed on some of the tiniest creatures in the ocean. Several unverified reports of giants over 18 m 60 ft. Watch a freediver rescue this entangled whale shark.
Several whale sharks may be found feeding a productive area. The whale shark is one of the greatest fishes to have ever known. We have answered all the questions that frequently asked about the whale shark. But before you start panicking when you see them swim your way, best know that these sharks are the gentle giants of the ocean. The whale shark feeds largely on plankton, as well as on small fish and crustaceans. Learn more about whale sharks and share with your friends and family.
Despite their enormous size, whale sharks exclusively dine on very small life forms like plankton, krill, fish eggs, and small fish. Visually learn the basic information of the rhincodon typus. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 18. One way to help protect whale sharks from extinction is to not purchase whale shark products. Just download, print, cut and add a fun note to the back or not and slip into your kids backpack or lunchbox. Background on whale sharks what is a whale shark fish or mammal. Whale shark fact sheet the whale shark rhincodon typus is a slowmoving filter feeding shark and the largest known fish species. Whale sharks article about whale sharks by the free. The name whale shark comes from the fact these animals are so large as big as whales and that they filterfeed like large humpback whales. In appreciation, he showered the whale shark with silver coins, which became the spots all over its body.
Teach young kids all about the parts of a shark, plus the importance of shark conservation with these free printable shark worksheets. Whale facts for kids general knowledge for kids facts about whale for kids duration. It is found throughout the atlantic ocean, from new york, through the caribbean, to central brazil, and from senegal to the gulf of guinea. Whale sharks may not be the first species that comes to mind when you think of a shark. The whale shark holds many records for size in the animal kingdom, most notably being by far the largest living nonmammalian vertebrate. Future research studies on whale sharks in the ningaloo marine. Feel free to send us your suggestions for improving our guidelines at. Traits and behaviors of this species are covered on the quiz. Although sharks generally appear to be very different from fish they are actually considered fish themselves.
It belongs to the order orectolobiformes and the family rhincodontidae. Find out loads of whale shark facts and information like how did the whale shark get its spots. The whale shark feeds by opening its mouth and sucking in water, which then passes through the gills. Usually they travel alone or in small groups of two to four. In order to eat, the beast juts out its formidably sized jaws and passively filters everything in its.
The whale shark is enormous and reportedly capable of reaching a maximum length of about 18 metres 59 feet. Free printable shark worksheet for grades kids read the informative text, answer a multiplechoice question, practice their handwritingspelling, then color. It grows up to 12 metres long, and may weigh as much as 47,000 pounds. A whale shark is a fish and breathes via its gills. Plus see all our fun ocean kids activities here as weve been learning all about the ocean, theres one. General description unlike the typical sharks which have torpedoshaped bodies and pointed snouts, the whale sharks head is flattened with its mouth located at the front. First, they were excited about the rare sighting of the 20footlong endangered shark. Whale shark is the largest fish specie in the world.
Assessing traditional ecological knowledge of whale sharks. The whale shark rhincodon typus, is a filter feeding shark. Great white sharks do not chew their meals, but rip prey into mouthsized pieces which are swallowed whole. Known as nomads or gypsies of the ocean because the wander the seas. Attached to the gills is a meshlike network of long. Education is one way that we can all participate in the protection of whale sharks. The quizworksheet combo is effective at checking your familiarity with whale sharks. The worlds largest fish species with aggregations of up to. Whale sharks are the largest known living species of shark, growing up to 41. Whale shark simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Pdf as the worlds largest fish, whale sharks rhincodon typus could be assumed to be predatorfree. All of that makes the shark a perfect ocean animal to teach kids more about. The whale s whole body length reached up to 12 meters, with a weight up to 34 tons. Whale sharks are filter feeders and sieve plankton through their gills for much of their nourishment.
This book discusses whale sharks, which are large sharks that are equal to the size of whales includes bibliographical references page 45 and index range map facts about whale sharks the biggest fish in the sea the giant sucking machine wonders and mysteries riding the whale sharks glossary to learn more about the. These gentle giants are docile filter fish feed on plankton. The main size encountered in ecotourism operations range from 5 8m. We have gathered complete set of whale shark facts for kids that will provide you all the whale shark information you need. Watch a freediver rescue this entangled whale shark august 8, 2018 a hawaiian family spotted this whale shark while freediving off the coast of lanai.
However, they have cartilage instead of bone making them a true shark. Its large mouth is well adapted to filter feeding and contains more than 300 rows of small, pointed teeth in each jaw. Organisms get trapped in small, toothlike structures called dermal denticles, and in the pharynx. The only defense a whale shark has is its size, so small juvenile whale sharks can be very susceptible to predation. The whale shark rhincodon typus, is a large filter feeding shark, and is the largest shark in the world, reaching lengths of up to 12 metres long, and weighing as much as 47, 000 pounds. This bundle contains 10 readytouse whale worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about whales which are the largest animals that have ever lived on earth and are the largest animals that live in the ocean. Whale sharks article about whale sharks by the free dictionary. Whale shark facts for kids complete whale shark information. This large size not only makes it unique but also an interesting fish to study. While the average lifespan of whale shark species is known to be somewhere around 70100 years, the individuals belonging to this species.
The whale shark holds many records for sheer size in the animal kingdom, most notably being by far the largest living nonmammalian vertebrate. May 02, 2016 whale sharks are the largest known living species of shark, growing up to 41. It is believed that whale sharks can reach a length of 20m, with a specimen of this size reported from taiwan in 2002. Most specimens that have been studied, however, weighed about 15 tons about 14 metric tons and averaged about 12 metres 39 feet in length. Introduction the whale shark is the biggest fish in the world. Laser photogrammetry improves size and demographic. What separates sharks from other species of fish is their cartilaginous skeleton which is made out of cartilage compared to the bones found in many species of fish.
Jul 23, 20 whale facts for kids general knowledge for kids facts about whale for kids duration. The largest confirmed individual had a length of over 41 feet and a. Whale sharks are amazing creatures, here are some fascinating whale shark facts. Blue whales are found throughout the worlds oceans. A whale shark rhincodon typus is a fish and breathes via its gills. It also includes a sperm whale facts worksheet as a. The whale shark rhincodon typus is a slowmoving, filterfeeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. Typically, the whale shark has a lifespan of 70 years or more.
The whale shark, like the worlds second largest fish, the basking shark, is a filter feeder. Theyre mysterious, amazing and sometimes a little misunderstood. They are huge, graceful, and have beautiful coloration. Aug 31, 2018 great white sharks can sense a single drop of blood in 25 gallons 100 litres of water. This resource includes basic and deluxe versions of the diagram as well as a reference poster that may be used as a coloring page or to help clarify text while teaching.
It also is found in the indian ocean, throughout the region, including the red sea and the arabian gulf. Pdf whale shark on a white sharks menu researchgate. Whale sharks can grow up to 40 feet 12 meters long, but on average they grow to 18 to 32. It is the sole member of the genus rhincodon and the only extant member. A shark, not a whale a whale shark is a fish and breathes via its gills.
It is dark brown above, with many white or yellow spots, and white or yellow below. The scientific name for the whale shark is, rhincodon typus. Starting us out just in the nick of time for shark week with shark facts. Its the biggest fish and shark in the world, and not a whale. Every year, a spectacular gathering of whale sharks takes place in the gulf of. A very large planktonfeeding shark of tropical and warm temperate waters, having a spotted body. Whale shark article about whale shark by the free dictionary.
The lack of whale shark specimens less than three meters in length has prompted some researchers to speculate that small whale sharks have a rapid growth rate chang et. Whale sharks are fascinatingyet theyre still being hunted despite their label as a vulnerable species, with fishing being banned in many different countries image. The biggest fish in the sea is a slowmoving, filterfeeding docile giant. Unlike their other shark relatives that are meateaters, these giants are filter feeders. Whale shark facts how the whale shark got its spots. The lifespan of a whale shark is between 70 and 100 years. The largest whale shark ever recorded had a length of 41. The lifespan of a blue whale is estimated to be 80 years. The predictable occurrence of whale sharks, rhincodon typus, has been well documented. Whale shark coloring page shark coloring pages, shark. The largest confirmed whale shark rhincodon typus was 41. Blue whales swim 14 miles per hour with bursts as fast as 30 mph and feed at depths of less than 330 feet but can dive as deep as 1,640 feet.
Whale shark definition of whale shark by the free dictionary. Whale shark facts information about ningaloo whale sharks. An easy way to add a note with a bit of fun information about sharks. The largest known specimens are 50 ft 15 m long, making them the largest fish in the world. A whale shark can filter over 1,500 gallons of water an hour. For more information about whale shark life history. Interesting facts about the mysterious baby whale shark. The name whale shark comes from the fact these animals are so large as big as whales and that they filter feed like baleen whales such as the humpback. Although whale shark hunting is banned in many countries, some areas of asia.
The whale shark is one of three large filterfeeding sharks. Blue whales swim 14 miles per hour with bursts as fast as 30 mph and feed at depths of less than 330 feet but can dive. Despite their huge size, whale sharks are docile, filter feeders that cruise the worlds oceans looking for plankton. The whale shark forages for food at or near the surface of the ocean. Meaning, they pose no harm and threat to scuba divers and to humans in general. Because the whale shark is a fish it is coldblooded, extracts oxygen from the water through gills and lays eggs as compared to marine mammals that are warmblooded, breathe air, give birth and produce milk to feed their young. Sharks have been in existence for more than 400 million years. Jun 17, 2016 quick facts about the largest fish in the world. Students cut and paste or write words in boxes to label a sperm whale diagram. Images include jonah, jonah praying, men, stormy sea, calm sea, inside whale, whale, whale with mouth open, jonah in the water, boat and word art. Ichthyologists consider these teeth to be vestigial structures, and they do not play a role in feeding. Jul 14, 2016 whale sharks can grow up to 40 feet 12 meters long, but on average they grow to 18 to 32. The tribes of mozambique tell a story whereby one of the gods was visiting earth and saw a whale shark swimming by in all of its grace and beauty, under the water near his boat.
955 1216 1144 1129 733 268 1534 699 1017 295 629 816 756 1337 902 702 1149 1477 833 216 442 430 285 60 703 173 1209 233 718 385 963 867