Whale Shark Encounters
Added to website: 04 August 2006
In March 2006 a team of Coral Cay Conservation (CCC) Society Members teamed up with the diving support and survey vessel, DSV Discovery, to undertake a whale shark survey in Sogod Bay, Philippines. Of the nine whale shark photo-identified during the mini-expedition three have been classified as ‘new encounters’ by ECOCEAN (see links below).
The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest living shark. Despite their enormous body size whale shark are not aggressive towards humans. They are planktonic and nektonic feeders. Whale shark are vulnerable to human exploitation from hunting with harpoons. The flesh can be eaten and their fins sold for high prices to the Asian restaurant industry for soup; their cartilage is used in spurious anti-cancer ‘medicines’, based on an erroneous belief that sharks don’t get cancer; the oil from their liver is used in the waterproofing of wood; and their offal is ground up to make fish meal. Although it is hard to estimate the populations of these animals, the threat posed by such exploitation was considered sufficient to have them listed under Appendix II of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in November 2002.
Over a period of seven days, the CCC surveyors observed a minimum of 18 whale shark. The location for the Philippine liveaboard expedition was Sogod Bay in the province of Southern Leyte. Home to Napantao Marine Reserve (rated amongst the top 20 wall dives in South East Asia by Asian Diver Magazine), the number of coral species in the bay is still undetermined, but at nearly 300 and counting it is likely to exceed even that of the entire Great Barrier Reef of Australia. In addition to whale shark, the bay is also frequented by scalloped hammerheads, and Risso’s and Spinner Dolphins.
ECOCEAN is a NGO committed to establishing a greater understanding of the global marine environment. Using the intricate patterning of lines and spots found on the body of whale shark, the ECOCEAN Whale Shark Photo-identification Library catalogues individuals to allow marine biologists around the world to collect and analyse encounter data to learn more about the species.
The mini-expedition, the first of its kind organised by the Coral Cay Conservation Society, will return to the Bay next March to further contribute to the the understanding of the region’s whale shark population and facilitate the development of appropriate management of the species as a local livelihood resource.
The CCC Encounters:
To read the full report click here.
