A 10-meter whale shark surface filter feeds in the northern Gulf of Mexico during the summer of 2006. Photo by GCRL
A nine-meter whale shark swims at the surface as Capt. Sonny Schlinder and Dr. William Driggers look on. Photo by GCRL
This image compares the relative size of a whale shark to a human. Photo by www.fishbase.org
This map shows the worldwide distribution of the whale shark, Rhincodon typus. Map from http://en.wikipedia.org
A nine-meter whale shark at Gladden Spit, Belize, is fitted with a pop-up satellite archival tag from Wildlife Computers. Photo by Rachel Graham
An eight- meter whale shark at Gladden Spit, Belize, is fitted with a satellite position tag from Wildlife Computers. Photo by Rachel Graham
This drawing by artist Emily Hildebrandt shows a newborn whale shark, approximately 55 centimeters total length.
A whale shark surface filter feeds with mouth agape and upper jaw well above the surface. Photo by GCRL
A pair of whale sharks filter feed at the surface. This paired swimming may be an adaptive feeding behavior that concentrates the prey and provides enhanced feeding opportunities. Photo by GCRL
A close-up of a whale shark that is filter feeding at the surface. Note the open mouth and the upper jaw extended out of the water. Photo by GCRL
A large school of cobia, Rachycentron canadum accompany an 8.5-meter whale shark. The photo was taken from a petroleum platform in the northern Gulf of Mexico south of Louisiana. Photo by Fred Anderson
A large whale shark surface filter feeds in the northern Gulf of Mexico, one of 16 whale sharks encountered during a research cruise. Photo by GCRL
Pictured are five of 16 whale sharks observed that were observed on a research cruise and were surface ram filter feeding on recently spawned fish eggs. Photo by GCRL
Two pair of whale sharks swimming in tandem are surface ram filter feeding on fish eggs in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The paired swimming may have concentrated the fish eggs between the sharks to enhance feeding rather than indicated any reproductive courtship.Photo by GCRL
Settled volumes of plankton provide a comparison of samples collected from two locations in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The sample on the left was taken where 16 whale sharks were observed feeding. The sample on the right was a control site two miles away. Note the higher density of fish eggs in the sample from the feeding site. The research cruise provided the first documented observation of whale sharks feeding on fish eggs in the northern Gulf of Mexico.Photo by GCRL
Of the two fish egg types collected in plankton samples, the opaque white eggs without spots were identified as little tunny (Euthynnus alletteratus), and represented 98% of the eggs in each sample.Photo by GCRL
Figure 1. Percent occurrence by month of whale sharks observed in the northern Gulf of Mexico from July 2002 to November 2007. Numbers above histograms indicate number of individuals observed. Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of sightings.
Figure 2. Distribution among size classes of whale sharks observed in the northern Gulf of Mexico from July 2002 to November 2007. Numbers above histograms indicate number of individuals observed.
Locations of whale shark sightings in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2002 to 2003. Some symbols may overlap due to the close proximity of individual sightings. Map provided by Kelly Lucas
Locations of whale shark sightings in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2004 to 2005. Some symbols may overlap due to the close proximity of individual sightings. Map provided by Kelly Lucas
Locations of whale shark sightings in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2006 to 2007. Some symbols may overlap due to the close proximity of individual sightings. Map provided by Jennifer McKinney
