Encountering a whale shark in La Paz Bay скачать в хорошем качестве

Encountering a whale shark in La Paz Bay

Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is a very large, plankton‑feeding shark and the largest living fish species, reaching lengths of around 18–20 meters and weights exceeding 30 tons. It is a filter feeder eating plancton, taking in large volumes of water and retaining preys such as plankton, fish eggs, and small fishes using specialized gill rakers and filtering pads. Whale sharks often feed near the surface, sometimes ram‑filtering or suction‑feeding in areas with dense plankton blooms, and are generally harmless to humans despite their size. At CITES CoP20, governments adopted a proposal to move the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) from Appendix II to Appendix I, effectively prohibiting almost all international commercial trade in the species and its parts. Recent assessments indicate whale shark populations have declined by roughly 40–92% in many regions and the species is classed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Threats cited include bycatch in industrial and artisanal fisheries, illegal fin trade, ship strikes, and projected losses of more than 50% of core habitat in some waters by 2100 due to climate change and associated range shifts. La Paz is the place with the stricter regulations on ecotourism activities targeting these animals. Here there are specific rules in place to minimize tourism impact on whale sharks and the populations seems not negatively affected by the human presence. The Bay is frequented every year from migrant individuals due to the sheltered space, nutrients availability and shallow waters to rest after long migration across the Ocean.