how big is a whale shark
1 Females are larger than males, as in most shark species. 2  The largest accurately measured whale shark was 40 feet 7 inches (12.2 m), although there are anecdotal reports of a 60-foot (18 m) whale shark in 1925.  The average length is between 18 and 32.8 feet (5.5 - 10 m).