Fish
Whale shark
Rhincodon typusConservation statusEndangered
DietPlankton (tiny living things that drift in the sea), fish eggs and tiny shrimp-like animals
Lifespan70-100 years
Size and weightUp to about 18 m
A giant covered in white spots. It swims slowly near the surface and filters food from the water.
White spots
What makes it specialIn the Galápagos almost all the ones people see are large adult females. Many of them look pregnant.
Surprising factIt filters thousands of liters of water an hour, and it is not dangerous to people.
PopulationThe world population has fallen by more than 50 percent in the last 75 years.
Open water. On our route, seeing one would be very lucky