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Interesting Whale Shark Facts
To most, just the name ‘whale shark’ conjures feelings of excitement, mystery and curiosity. But how much do you really know about the world’s largest fish? Here are 11 interesting facts you might not have known about this majestic marine animal.
1. They’re Not Whales
Whale sharks are not actually whales, but they are the largest fish in the ocean! Whale sharks can reach up to an incredible 12 meters/40 feet in length and 21.5 tons in weight.
2. Whale Sharks are Filter Feeders
Being a filter feeder, whale sharks cannot bit nor chew – they are truly the gentle giants of the ocean. Instead of biting and chewing, they mostly sieve plankton through their gills for nourishment. During feeding their mouth can even stretch over 1 meter/4 feet wide!
3. They Can Process More Than 6,000 Liters of Water
Using their gills, whale sharks can process over 6,000 liters of water every hour. Once the whale shark draws in a big gulp of plankton-rich ocean water, it closes its mouth and expels the water through a set of large gills. The gills act like strainers, filtering out the water while keeping solid organisms smaller than about 2 centimeters in diameter.
4. Whale Sharks are Slow Swimmers
Whale sharks might be slow but they migrate very long distances. Moving at speeds of no more than 4 kph/3 mph, a single whale shark can travel 12,874km/8,000 miles or more, in just three years.
5. They Have Thousands of Teeth
Although they don’t bite or chew, they do have thousands of teeth. Whale sharks have about 3,000 tiny teeth, less than 1-inch long, that help them eat small shrimp, fish and plankton.
And as always have a chilled day from the Viking
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