Whale shark — Rhincodon typus

The whale shark is a massive, slow-moving fish that eats tiny plankton. It is not a whale. These giants grow to 12 m or even 18 m in length. I saw a 14 m specimen near Koh Tao in February 2019. Divers often travel to the Philippines or Mexico because these animals congregate in specific seasonal feeding zones. You will usually find them in warm waters between 21°C and 28°C.

Never touch them. Most dive operators in Oslob charge 2500 PHP per person for close encounters. Keep your distance of at least 3 m so that you do not disturb their natural feeding behavior. If the water is murky, stay calm. Many divers panic when a large shadow appears near them during a descent.