ENDANGERED WHALE SHARKSby Alesandra Ibobo | 31-05-2018 15:36 |
|---|
 10.jpg) Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest known fish species found in open waters of the tropical ocean with warm temperature. It is measured at about 5.5 to 10 meters long, and weighs an average of 18.7 tonnes. The fish specie has been in existence for about 60 million years old or older. Whale sharks are deep blue with pale to white patterns of dots. The whale shark can be found in Canada, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Philippines, Mozambique, Brazil, Benin, DR Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Malaysia and Dar es salam in Tanzania. The whale sharks can be seen swimming along abundant portion of plankton as it feeds a lot and eats while moving. It feeds on little fishes, fish eggs and sperms, krill's, crab larvae by opening its mouth while swimming towards the largely gathered fishes sucking in large volumes of water and fishes at the same time and releases the excesses through its gills. The whale shark does not pose any threat to humans since it has been seen swimming occasionally while ships are on motion and in some parts of the world humans catch a ride on its fin. However humans and human activities pose a threat to the existence of the whale shark. Whale sharks have reportedly died through injuries sustained from propellers while it collides with ships and other times from oil spillage in these oceans. Since the whale shark feeds through passive feeding mode which is described by it sucking on foods, it is one of the animals affected by illegal dumpings of plastic wastes. These animals feeds on fishes, water and sometimes plastic wastes which swims into its mouth and causes its death. Whale shark has been valued for its liver as the liver oil is used for automobile oil and lubricants in ships, cars and other vehicles. Most times whale sharks die as a result of exhaustion from being in captivity. Most villagers in certain countries like in Asia and Philippines lay traps for plankton and other little fishes and crabs in regions where the whale sharks are found. Since it is found in such regions, along with the plankton, the whale shark is caught around stays in the nets for sometime struggling to be released and in the process is exhausted even before the fishermen gets to find it, some dies before being released while others used for their meats or sold to pharmaceutical companies for drug production.
|
