Is it a Shark or a Whale?

As fearsome as this guy looks, he actually wouldn't harm a hair on your head. They may have big mouths, but it isn't for swallowing people - they're plankton feeders. Plankton are microscopically tiny organisms that thrive in the oceans throughout the world.

Scientists have determined that it is a species of shark, because of its skeleton (composed entirely of cartilage), and its tough, leathery, scaleless skin. People called it a whale shark because of its enormous size (like a whale), not because it's a type of whale.

A whale is a mammal; a warm-blooded creature that has lungs and breathes air, gives birth to its young and nurses them with milk produced by mammary glands. A shark is a fish; it "breathes" its oxygen by passing water over its gills.

Whale sharks are rare, elusive creatures that scientists still know very little about. One interesting adaptation of the whale shark that scientists have discovered is that it has sensors that run the length of its body which are used for detecting pressure changes in the surrounding water. Whale sharks swim with their huge mouths wide open to chow down, making it hard for their proportionately small eyes to see where they're going. Being able to detect large objects with their pressure sensors gives the shark a "sixth sense" that acts like back-up vision.

Sal's tip: Whale sharks swim to the coastal water of KK every year between February - April. So plan your next snorkeling adventure for early next year .... you might be lucky enough to swim with this creature ;)

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