The Biggest Fish On The Planet

Sharks have become monsters in our minds; if you
announce your upcoming vacation to Aruba, don't
be surprised if someone warns you not to get
eaten by a Great White! If all else fails, just
tell them about the whale shark: it's the
largest fish in the world. However, they don't
need to fear this creature, and neither do you.

The whale shark's size is impressive: the
largest confirmed specimen measured nearly 42
feet long, and weighed 47,000 pounds; it
actually outweighs many of the largest
dinosaurs. The whale shark is the largest fish
in the world, and the largest non-mammal
vertebrate. It has roamed the tropical oceans
for 60 million years, remaining largely
unchanged during that time. The shark has a
gigantic mouth, which can open up five feet wide
and reveal 300 rows of tiny teeth. Its body is
gray colored with a white belly. Each whale
shark is covered with pale yellow stripes and
small spots, and no two sharks have the same
pattern. Both coastal regions and open ocean
areas are inhabited by these fish; they gather
in the shallow reef areas, like the Yucatan
peninsula, to feed each spring.

And what do they feed on? With a name like
'whale shark', you would be forgiven for
thinking that this fearsome creature chows down
on helpless orcas, humpbacks, and baleens. But
the whale shark's name comes from its massive
size, rather than its regular diet. This fish is
a filter feeder; its prey consists of microscopic
plankton, krill, larvae, and squid -although it
has also been observed hunting schools of very
small fish once in a while. Filter pads are
contained within their huge mouths; a whale
shark feeds by sucking in giant gulps of water
and then filters out the liquid through these
pads, leaving the delicious plankton behind.
Those tiny vestigial teeth are never used in
feeding.

If you ever come across a whale shark while
snorkeling, don't fear for your life! Swimmers
have been known to ride along with them for a
while, because the sharks are extremely docile,
as fish go. Juvenile whale sharks are actually
quite playful. However, at least one diver has
reported that he was nearly sucked into a whale
shark's mouth accidentally; as with all wild
animal encounters, it's best to keep your
distance. Refrain from trying to swim with the
whale sharks; while it seems like a lot of fun,
it could potentially harm them and you can't be
too careful when it comes to sharing the water
with such a giant fish! The actual number of
whale sharks in the ocean is unknown, hence
researchers have listed the whale shark as
'vulnerable' (at least temporarily), and they
are the target of commercial fishing operations
as well. No one has ever seen whale sharks
mating, though they know that females give live
births and individuals can live for 70 years or
more.


----------------------------------------------------
At Bookit.com you can use the internet to plan
and book your travel arrangements, while finding
the best travel deals around the world. You can
make your vacation plans come to life when you
use our easy online booking option. For an
incredible time we suggest Riu Aruba
http://bookit.com/aruba/arubaoranjestad/hotels/riu-palace-aruba/
today.



EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=292801

>