Important Facts For Prelims
Whale Shark
- 08 Mar 2021
- 1 min read
Why in News
Recently, fishers in Odisha rescued a whale shark.
Key Points
- About:
- Whale sharks are the largest shark, and indeed largest of any fishes alive today and they travel large distances to find enough food to sustain their huge size, and to reproduce.
- The whale shark is a ‘filter feeder shark’ which means it does not eat meat like other sharks. Whale sharks filter sea water and feed on tiny planktons.
- The maximum size of whale sharks is not known, but could be as large as 20m.
- Scientific Name:
- Rhincodon typus.
- Habitat:
- Whale sharks are found in all the tropical oceans of the world.
- Threats:
- Oil & gas drilling, shipping lanes etc.
- Protection Status:
- IUCN Red List: Endangered
- CITES: Appendix II
- Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
