Whale sharks are the largest shark and the largest fish on planet Earth. They feed on plankton and travel large distances to find enough food to sustain their huge size, and to reproduce. Whale sharks are found in all the tropical oceans of the world. Their white spotted colouration makes these gentle giants easy to distinguish, and popular with snorkelers around the Islands of Holbox and Isla Mujeres, where they flock each year, from May to September, to form the biggest whale shark congregation in the world.
The maximum size of whale sharks is not known, but could be as large as 60 feet. Females give birth to live young but this has never been observed. Whale Sharks are often found feeding at the surface, but may dive to 3500 feet. Whale sharks are protected from fishing in many countries these days, but are in decline in some areas.