IUCN Red List Reclassifies Whale Sharks as Endangered by Jessica Macdonald Aug 21, 2016 Although seeing a whale shark in the wild is on the bucket list for many divers and snorkelers, our chances to do so may be dwindling. While in the Atlantic ocean, their number has decreased more than 30%.
Whale Sharks are thought to be mammals however they are a type of fish. Whale sharks have broad flattened heads, enormous mouths, and an elongated body ending in a caudal fin that can be 5 feet tall in an adult animal. The biggest threat to sharks, and other fishes in general, is the overfishing and over-consumption of their meat, fins, and cartilage. Background The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is the largest living fish and the largest shark. The Natal Shyshark, Another Critically Endangered Shark. Whale shark mouths can contain over 300 rows of tiny teeth and 20 filter pads which it uses to filter feed. The Whale Shark has white or pale yellow stripes and white dots in a checker pattern all over its grey body. Whale Shark tourism is big business – the industry is worth over $100 million every year worldwide. Are Whale Sharks Endangered – Whale Shark Status. They are also used for shark fin soup, which is a delicacy in Asian countries. This shark has an unusually limited natural habitat, occurring only in a small area off the coast of South Africa, near Durban. Description. 54. Snorkeling next to a whale shark is a truly mind-blowing experience but we have … Whale sharks are being slaughtered: That's the shocking news from a report issued by WildLifeRisk, a nongovernmental organization.
The scientific name for the Whale Shark is Rhincodon typus.
There are thousands of endangered animals in our ecosystem and just because sharks are the king of the sea, doesn’t mean they are exempt from the threats of over-fishing, finning, habitat disruption, and pollution. Learn about endangered sharks at Discovery.com. As mentioned before with whale sharks, shark fins are sought out for traditional Chinese medicine. Unlike many other sharks, whale sharks' mouths are located at the front of the head rather than on the underside of the head.
It is not new news that our oceans are polluted. Whale sharks are blue-gray in color, with a pattern of spots and stripes that is unique to each animal. Especially the young sharks are at risk, because the shark breeds in shallow waters, where fishing is more intense. Whale Sharks are the world's largest species of fish. 55. For the countries involved, whale sharks are worth far more alive than in a bowl of soup!
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) considered Whale Sharks as endangered because: Their population in the Indo-Pacific ocean has been thought to reduce by about 63% in the previous 75 years.