What does the whale shark look like?
The whale shark’s flattened head sports a blunt snout above its mouth with short barbels protruding from its nostrils. Its back and sides are gray to brown with white spots among pale vertical and horizontal stripes, and its belly is white.
What Colour is a whale?
Most whales tend to be various shades of light to dark grey, blue and black, which may lighten or darken as the whale ages. Some whale species may also appear to be a brownish color while the beluga whale is born white.
Can a whale shark hurt you?
Whale Sharks are sharks, not whales. Therefore they are fish not mammals. But before you start panicking when you see them swim your way, best know that these sharks are the “Gentle Giants” of the ocean. Meaning, they pose no harm and threat to SCUBA divers and to humans in general.
Can a whale shark eat a human?
While the divers look too close to the whale shark in the photos, the humans were actually in no danger at all. According to Metro, whale sharks are filter feeders and won’t eat any humans they encounter. They feed only on plankton and very small fish.
Do whale sharks bite?
Eating is laborious work. Whale sharks are filter feeders and can neither bite nor chew. Although its mouth can stretch to four feet wide, a whale shark’s teeth are so tiny that they can only eat small shrimp, fish and plankton by using their gill rakers as a suction filter.
Are whale sharks real sharks?
The name whale shark comes from the fact these animals are so large (as big as whales) and that they filter feed (like baleen whales such as the humpback). However, they have cartilage instead of bone – making them a true shark. The whale shark is the largest living shark.
Are whales blue or gray?
Is blue whale really blue?
Blue whales look true blue underwater, but on the surface their coloring is more a mottled blue-gray. Their underbellies take on a yellowish hue from the millions of microorganisms that take up residence in their skin.
Why is touching a whale shark illegal?
Whale sharks are slow moving animals, but they are so big it will appear they are moving fast. Divers can expect that the whale sharks may swim right up to them and must pay close attention at all times. It is illegal to touch a whale shark, so make sure to swim out of the way if one swims toward you.
Why is whale vomit so expensive?
The reason for its high cost is its use in the perfume market, especially to create fragrances like musk. It is believed to be in high demand in countries like Dubai that have a large perfume market. Ancient Egyptians used it as incense. It is also believed to be used in some traditional medicines.