Whale Shark - Marine life in El Nido
Whale shark encounters rank near the top of any diving bucket list. During a dive in the shallow reefs of North Rock. One of our guests made it!
Marine Life in El Nido - Whale Shark in El Nido!
Yesterday, we met a whale shark in El Nido, near Miniloc Island! And we have been lucky enough to dive with him for 45 minutes with cameras. Whale shark sightings can occur just about anywhere in Bacuit Bay. But this gentle giants are rare animals. So our guests and our team were blessed to encounter him. It\’s a good opportunity to speak about this fascinating creature!
Genus: Rhincodon
Depth: 1 to 1800 meters
Diet: filter feeder – plankton
Size: 14 meters in length; Max weight: 20 tonnes
Lifespan: 100 years!!!
Whale Shark - The biggest fish in the world
Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world, growing up to 12m in length an up to 20 tons. Despite their size, they are totally harmless. They are filter feeders, straining their prey -plankton and small fishes – from the water column. Whale sharks are found in warm waters worldwide including Philippines.
Whale Shark - They are rare!
Because Whale sharks live long lives (estimates say 70+ years), mature late not producing offspring until 30+ years of age, and give birth to relatively few offspring during their lifetime, they are especially threatened by human exploitation. Like human fingerprints, whale sharks have a unique pattern of spots which allow individual sharks to be identified. By taking photos and cataloguing them, WWF has identified 458 different whale sharks in the Philippines.
Threats to these sharks include habitat loss which results in loss of prey species, coastal development resulting in marine pollution, collision with boats, and disturbance or harassment by boats and divers engaged in irresponsible tourism activities.
Whale Shark - Do not touch!
If you are lucky enough to encounter one of these gentle giants, it is an experience you will never forget. So, a little excitement is understandable, but please resist the temptation to touch or ride a whale shark. Passive interaction with all marine life is healthier for the animals and will not alarm them. Just keep watching, and often the curious whale shark will come close to you. Avoid whale shark feeding as well!
Whale Shark - Where can we see them in El Nido?
Seeing a Whale Shark in El Nido is very rare. We only have 2 or 3 encounters during a whole season. But when we see them it is especially during the plankton season from December to February. You just have to be on the right dive site at the right time! So you never know.