Whale sharks are adapted to living in the water and do not need to surface to breathe as land-dwelling animals do. Like other sharks, they have gills that allow them to extract oxygen from the water and use it to fuel their bodies. As long as they have access to oxygen-rich water, they can remain underwater indefinitely without suffocating or drowning. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world, and they are known to dive to depths of up to 3,000 feet (900 meters) in search of food. They are also capable of storing large amounts of oxygen in their blood and muscle tissue, which allows them to remain active for long periods of time without needing to surface to breathe. In general, sharks are well adapted to living in the ocean and are able to survive for extended periods of time without needing to surface to breathe. However, like all animals, they do need oxygen to survive and will eventually drown if they are unable to access oxygen-rich water.