Whale Sharks

As scuba divers, we have always wanted to see a whale shark. Having spent a whole week in Roatan without seeing even a glimpse of one, we made it our mission to find one and were pleased to learn that we might get lucky on Isla Holbox. On a sunny day last September, we drove to the coastal town of Chiquila, parked our car, and took a boat to Isla Holbox. Once there, we easily found a fisherman with a "lancha" (a small motor-powered wooden fishing boat) who used his not-so-quaint GPS locator in order to find the spot where the whale sharks, known locally as Dominos were feeding the next day. After about an hour of motoring, we found ourselves in the middle of the ocean, with no land in sight. Suddenly, there were four or five whale sharks slowly swimming around us (and three other boats that were there to observe). They were joined by a large manta ray who was also fishing in the area.

The whale shark is the largest fish on the earth, usually measuring between 15 and 50 feet (5 -15m) in length and weighing as much as 10 tons. These gentle sea creatures range all tropical waters and infrequently stray into temperate ones.

The whale shark's body is stout but streamlined, like that of a shark. In fact, they probably got their name because they look like a shark with a whale's head. They are dark brown or grey with white or yellow spots, with a white or yellow underbelly.

The whale shark has nothing in common with whales except for its size and the fact that it only eats minute plankton by scooping it up with an open mouth. Unlike most sharks, the whale shark has its mouth at the front of its head rather than on the underside and unlike other sharks, it does not eat meat. It normally feeds on or just below the surface by literally vacuuming food from the water.

Very little is known about whale shark reproduction with most information coming from a single egg found in the Gulf of Mexico. It is thought that the young develop in egg cases that are retained in the mother's body until hatching. Despite their large adult size, whale sharks are very small at birth, probably 40 to 50 centimeters.

The whale shark is a docile fish who will not attack, even on provocation. Despite their impressive appearance, they are harmless to humans. They are mainly solitary in nature, they roam widely and are often difficult to find. The expedition from Isla Holbox is an exceptional adventure. Being in the presence of these great creatures, with enough time to observe and enjoy them, is a special privilege indeed. Please look, take pictures, enjoy, but as with many of the wonders of the ocean, please do not touch them or harass them in any way!

Above: the view from the boat on the way to visit the whale sharks.

For several years now, whale sharks have been coming to the northern tip of the Yucatan peninsula to feed and mate during the months of May through October. Tourism based on whale shark watching has increased dramatically in the last few years and Government agencies have taken steps to protect these magnificent animals so that the species will not be harmed and so they will continue to return to this area.

For that reason, Isla Holbox has recently been named by the Mexican government as the only port that can offer trips to swim with the whale sharks and there are strict rules against scuba equipment being used to view them in the area. Local guides have been trained to give tours that are as safe for the whale sharks as they are for their human visitors.