Whale sharks are the largest fish. Their spotted skins may act as camouflage to protect them from other sharks and killer whales. Despite their size, these animals are harmless to humans. They have very small teeth and feed on plankton, schools of small fish and squid that they scoop up with their huge mouths as they cruise at a leisurely 2 mph. As water passes through the gills, the food is retained.
Whale sharks are migratory making population estimates difficult.
Slow birth rate and naturally rare occurrence makes the whale shark vulnerable to exploitation, but drowning in gill nets is supposedly its biggest threat. Fished for meat and fins in Southeast Asia. Proposed ICUN for status II is being considered.