What is whale shark season?
What is whale shark season?
When to go: whale sharks generally arrive between November and June, with sightings peaking from February to April.
What is your view on the tourism activity involving the whale sharks in Oslob?
A recent study of how tourists perceive the Oslob whale shark operation found that many visitors recognize that feeding an endangered species for tourism purposes is ethically problematic—if not morally wrong—but participate anyway. Some researchers describe this type of justification as a “guilty pleasure.”
What months can you swim with whale sharks?
Whale shark season in Cancun typically falls between May and April, however, the peak whale shark season takes place between July and August. So if you want your best chance of seeing a whale shark in Cancun, July through August is your best bet. Whale sharks leave Cancun about mid September.
Why are whale sharks endangered?
It is thought that the most significant threat to whale sharks is habitat loss or degradation in the form of overfishing of reef fish, coastal development, land-based pollution, increased boat traffic and noise pollution. Fishing for meat and fins, harassment and boat strikes also pose serious threats to whale sharks.
Is a whale shark a whale or a shark?
They’re not whales, but the world’s largest fish But despite their size, whale sharks are often referred to as “gentle giants”.
Why are whale sharks important?
When ocean waters are rich in plankton, it shows the water is full of nutrients and the ecosystem is healthy. But, whale sharks also regulate the ocean’s plankton levels, and prevent these microscopic organisms from growing without restriction – which can have a negative effect on ocean environments if they do.
Is whale shark tourism bad?
There are concerns regarding the negative impact of whale shark tourism on the health, behavior and migration of the species. Many international marine conservation organizations have criticized the whale shark tours in Oslob describing it as a non-sustainable form of tourism.
Is the whale shark in Oslob a pest?
Before, the fisherman in Oslob considered the whale shark as “pest” for destroying their nets and driving away other fishes. Last October 2011, in a small village of Tan-awan Oslob, Jerson Soriano, started feeding a whale shark with krill or baby shrimps after it continuously bumped its snout to his banca while fishing.
When is the best time to see whale sharks in the Philippines?
Seasonality varies around the world for whale sharks, as they inhabit the entire equatorial ring of the globe.. but in the Philippines in particular, it’s usually best between January to May.. though with the abundance of food in Oslob, they’re sticking around much later into the year now.
How did the whale shark become so close to humans?
Simply catching a small amount of these same shrimp in a region outside of the whale sharks’ feeding zone allowed them to re-release them into the water in the morning, while the whale sharks still lingered after their nighttime feed. This action has brought the whale sharks closer to humans than ever before.
