Two giant whale sharks, each weighing about 1,500 kg, were caught by fishermen in the coastal village of Gilakaladindi, Machilipatnam mandal, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh state, India.
A crane was used to bring the ” sea monster ” to the shore of Gilakaladindi port, attracting the attention of local people. According to reports, the whale sharks were caught in the nets of fisherman Viswanathapalli Veera Babu. One of them died, while the live shark was released back into the ocean as it had no market value. (Photo: Odisha TV)
Vivek Rathod, conservationist and founder of Wildlife Conservation Through Research and Education (WCTRE), confirmed that the sharks were whale sharks, which are considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (Photo: Earth Times)
The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest fish in the world and is known as the “gentle giant” of the ocean. They can grow up to 18 meters in length and weigh around 19 tons. (Photo: iNaturalist)
The back and sides of the whale shark are blue-gray with white spots and stripes, creating a unique pattern. The head of the whale shark is wide and flat, and the mouth can open up to 1.5 meters wide with about 300 rows of small teeth. The dorsal fin of the whale shark is small compared to the body, while the caudal fin is larger and crescent-shaped. (Photo: World Wildlife Fund)
Whale sharks are usually found in warm and tropical waters, occurring in all the world’s oceans except the polar regions. They are often seen near the surface and prefer coastal waters or areas with high marine productivity. (Photo: Monaco Nature Encyclopedia)
Whale sharks are filter feeders, feeding mainly on plankton, small fish, squid and krill. (Photo: Australian Museum)
They swim slowly at a speed of about 5 km/h, enjoying the warm temperatures and abundance of plankton. (Photo: EDGE of Existence)
Whale sharks are egg-laying, with females carrying up to 300 young at various stages of development. (Photo: EDGE of Existence)
Whale sharks have an average lifespan of about 70 years. (Photo: Fishes of Australia)
