Ship collisions with the world’s rarest whales have garnered global attention. But until recently, scientists didn’t realize these same vessels are likely killing whale sharks, an endangered species and the world’s largest fish.
In a new study, over 75 researchers came together to quantify the threat shipping may pose to whale sharks, which live in warm tropical and sub-tropical waters around the world, including the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans.
The scientists mapped whale shark aggregation hot spots—known as constellations because of the sharks’ star-like patterns across their backs—in 26 countries and overlaid them with information on the positions of large ships, provided by Global Fishing Watch, a nonprofit that uses technology to increase transparency around how our oceans are used and managed. (Learn the secrets of whale shark migration.)
They found the sharks were most in danger in heavily trafficked regions of Ecuador, Mexico, Malaysia, the Philippines, Oman, Seychelles, and Taiwan. While it’s unknown how many sharks are dying, their proximity to so much shipping activity suggests the burden is high, says lead author Freya Womersley, a researcher at the Marine Research and Conservation Foundation and the University of Southampton in the U.K.
“For the first time, we were able to map most whale shark constellations globally thanks to contributions from the whale shark research community,” Womersley says.
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May 23, 2024 at 10:05PM
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Whale sharks are vanishing without a trace. Here's what we know - National Geographic
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