Whale Sharks

The whale shark is the world's largest fish. Its name comes from its big size. It has the capacity to weigh up to 20 tons. The basking shark, the second-largest fish, can weigh up to 18 tons. Both of these sharks are large, but they consume plankton and are harmless to humans. They accomplish this by simply opening their mouths and swimming right into clouds of plankton, small fish, and invertebrates, straining them out of the water with their gill rakers. They can also suck them up and devour them whole. The whale shark can actively pump water through its gills, but the basking shark must swim forward to allow water to wash through its gills.

They are generally non-aggressive and will often enable divers to approach them and interact with them. These massive fish may occasionally let divers catch their dorsal fins and tow them through the water, seemingly unconcerned.

Weight: 18 tons