Gentle Giants: The Endangered Whale Shark
Brad spends his days exploring the oceans with a heavy heart and the knowledge that the existence and safety of Whale Sharks are under threat ... Brad's goal is to seek a solution to the survival of this remarkable species.
One thing we all share is a love for the environment and the species that inhabit it. For most of us, the more we learn about the environmental state of our planet the more we realise that we have heavy ecological problems, problems so vast that they can be overwhelming. There won't be one person who can swoop down from the heavens to rescue this vulnerable planet; instead, we must work together - isolate our environmental issues and try our best to manage them. This is why we have partnered with scientist Brad Norman and his crew as they research the magnificent Whale Sharks, with the inevitable goal of eliminating the many threats to this species.
The whale shark is a real underwater monster, not because it's a danger to humans; on the contrary, as a filter-feeder species, it's harmless to us. Rather, this species is regarded as a monster because of its jaw-dropping mass of 19,000 kg (on average). This shark is also categorised as an extant species: simply put, their ancestral line is derived from very ancient creatures. The Whale Shark itself is now classified as globally endangered.
There are a few frightening threats to this ancient creature, first, this enormous fish is threatened by human activity and can easily be snared in fishing nets as bycatch. The Whale Shark meat, their fins in particular, are sold for food.
Plastic waste is a significant concern. “Marine plastics are terribly detrimental to so much of the marine environment,” Brad said. And whale sharks, as “filter feeders,” need a clean environment where they can source sufficient quantities of tiny prey to survive.
Climate change is another key threat. “Ocean acidification modifies food predictability and availability” - According to Rachel Graham, one of the world’s leading authorities on whale sharks, noting specifically that global warming impacts zooplankton numbers.
Brad Norman's work identifies, tracks and protects whale sharks. Norman created a photo database that monitor's whale sharks, this will raise their conservation profile and provide insights on how to protect them. The photos specifically document the distinctive patterns of spots and stripes behind the gills and above the pectoral fin. It can be difficult to distinguish between different sharks, said Norman, but “those marks are unique to each individual, like a fingerprint.”
We have happily donated state-of-the-art MFD and sonar technology, which will help Brad and his team to locate these ancient giants.
