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The largest fish in the sea, whale sharks (mostly) predators the size of a school bus. Whale sharks may have the word “whale” in their name, but in reality they are just really big sharks! Despite their massive size, these gentle giants feed on only a few species of fish and plants. Keep reading to find out more about everything the whale shark eats!
What do whale sharks eat?
Whale sharks are filter feeders that eat large amounts of fish at the same time, swim with their mouths open, and filter what they want to eat without having to swallow gallons of water. Whale sharks are huge creatures, but these fish do not eat all types of fish. They usually only eat tiny plants, fish, fish eggs, or other animals that are nearby when they open their huge mouths!
However, the whale shark’s favorite food is plankton. These fish will migrate from very long distances only to eat a large supply of plankton. Right when the plankton blooms. Ningaloo Reef on the coast of Australia is one of those places where whale sharks migrate every spring!
How much do whale sharks eat?
Whale sharks are massive creatures. Therefore, they need quite a lot of food to be satisfied. However, their large size can also help them store energy better and travel longer distances more easily than other fish. Whale sharks often migrate to hit certain areas of the sea when plankton blooms or coral eggs emerge.
Their sheer size is believed to aid them in this migration. Some whale sharks may find it difficult to find a lot of food on their constant travels, so their size helps them get to their destination and feast on plankton when they get there.
There are whale sharks too very slow swimmers, averaging about three miles per hour. Therefore, it is very important to eat enough and conserve your energy.
Complete list of what whale sharks eat
Whale sharks are known to eat only very small animals, fish and plants. Whale sharks feed on:
- Plankton
- Small shrimp
- Krill
- Jellyfish
- Coral
- Crab larvae
- Seaweed
- Sardines
- Anchovies
- Small tuna
- Squid
- Fish eggs
- Plants
- Seaweed
These latest foods (plants and algae) may surprise you, but a 2019 study found that a surprising amount of the whale shark’s diet comes from algae. Previous studies have noted the presence of algae in the stomachs of whale sharks, but it is unclear if this was accidental or intentional. New research now shows that whale sharks are more omnivorous than scientists previously thought!
Feeding the whale shark
Whale sharks eat a lot, even if they cannot bite or chew their food. Whale sharks cannot accurately chew on large fish, although they have about 300 rows of teeth and only about 3,000 tiny teeth. This is why they eat such small fish and plants.
Whale sharks use their tiny teeth to eat small food, as well as their gill stamens (which act as a suction filter) to help them thrive as filter feeders.
Are whale sharks dangerous to humans?
Although whale sharks are mostly carnivores, they only eat small fish and plants. They no need there are larger animals or people in any respect. Whale sharks are often called delicate creatures, even though they are the largest fish in the sea! – and were known for their kindness to people in the ocean.
Adventure lovers love to swim with whale sharks without any problem! Often, whale sharks simply ignore people swimming in the ocean next to them. Therefore, they No dangerous to humans.
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