Gigantic whale shark makes scuba divers look like tiny tadpoles

5 days ago
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Whale sharks are huge animals. With the exception of a few whale species, they are the largest creatures in the ocean. They are the biggest fish to have ever lived. They are a member of the shark family, but unlike other sharks, they do not possess teeth. Instead, they have baleen, large, comb-like structures that are used to filter their tiny food from the water.
Whale sharks are gentle creatures, unable to intentionally hurt a human. They have no means of fighting predators. They simply outswim them or dive to depths that other animals, such as orcas, cannot follow.
These scuba divers in the Galapagos Islands are thrilled to see a gigantic female cruising right through their group as if they weren't there. The diver recording captures a perspective that shows how tiny the people are in comparison with this behemoth.
The Galapagos Islands are famous for their efforts in conservation. They have protected and respected the wildlife so effectively that it is still one of the most diverse areas in the world. The whale sharks come here for the safety and the cleaning stations, where other fish such as trevallies and silky sharks rid them of unwanted remoras. The remoras attach to the sharks in such numbers that they impede movement and interfere with their gills.

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