Whale Shark
Rhincodon typus
Category: Sharks & Rays
IUCN Conservation Status: EN - Endangered - facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Elasmobranchii
- Order
- Orectolobiformes
- Family
- Rhincodontidae
- Genus
- Rhincodon
Where to Find
Found in 89 diving areas across 43 countries and 10 regions.
- Rowley Shoals, Australia - 2 records
- Grand Lagoon, New Caledonia - 1 records
- Isle of Pines, New Caledonia - 2 records
- Aruba Leeward Coast, Aruba - 1 records
- Andros, Bahamas - 1 records
- Bimini, Bahamas - 4 records
- Eleuthera & Harbour Island, Bahamas - 2 records
- Nassau & New Providence, Bahamas - 1 records
- North Shore, Bermuda - 1 records
- Varadero, Cuba - 1 records
- Cabrits & Northern Coast, Dominica - 1 records
- Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve, Dominica - 1 records
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic - 1 records
- Diamond Rock, Martinique - 1 records
- Saint-Pierre, Martinique - 1 records
- Anse La Raye, St. Lucia - 1 records
- Soufriere & The Pitons, St. Lucia - 1 records
- Lighthouse Reef, Belize - 11 records
- Turneffe Atoll, Belize - 3 records
- Cocos Island, Costa Rica - 2 records
- Caribbean Coast, Guatemala - 10 records
- Roatán, Honduras - 405 records
- Utila, Honduras - 413 records
- Corn Islands, Nicaragua - 3 records
- Coiba National Park, Panama - 1 records
- Bora Bora, French Polynesia - 2 records
- Rangiroa, French Polynesia - 5 records
- Kosrae, Micronesia - 2 records
- Peleliu & Angaur, Palau - 1 records
- Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea - 2 records
- Green Island, Taiwan - 8 records
- Kenting National Park, Taiwan - 1 records
- Grande Comore, Comoros - 1 records
- Moheli, Comoros - 1 records
- Lakshadweep, India - 2 records
- Diani Beach & South Coast, Kenya - 3 records
- Watamu & Malindi, Kenya - 1 records
- North Ari Atoll, Maldives - 16 records
- North Malé Atoll, Maldives - 133 records
- Rasdhoo Atoll, Maldives - 136 records
- South Ari Atoll, Maldives - 133 records
- South Malé Atoll, Maldives - 136 records
- Vaavu Atoll, Maldives - 2 records
- Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique - 1015 records
- Tofo & Inhambane, Mozambique - 1022 records
- Saint-Gilles & West Coast, Réunion - 3 records
- Cape Town & Western Cape, South Africa - 22 records
- KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - 25 records
- Sodwana Bay, South Africa - 61 records
- Mafia Island, Tanzania - 24 records
- Zanzibar & Pemba, Tanzania - 2 records
- Cozumel, Mexico - 20 records
- Socorro Islands, Mexico - 5 records
- Yucatán Cenotes, Mexico - 3 records
- Gulf of Tadjoura, Djibouti - 41 records
- Dahab, Egypt - 24 records
- Deep South, Egypt - 9 records
- El Gouna, Egypt - 30 records
- Hurghada, Egypt - 34 records
- Marsa Alam, Egypt - 6 records
- Safaga, Egypt - 8 records
- Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt - 30 records
- Eilat, Israel - 1 records
- Dubai & Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - 1 records
- Fujairah, United Arab Emirates - 9 records
- Santa Marta & Tayrona, Colombia - 2 records
- Galápagos Islands, Ecuador - 19 records
- Isla de la Plata, Ecuador - 22 records
- Mancora & North Coast, Peru - 2 records
- Bali, Indonesia - 26 records
- Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia - 31 records
- Derawan Islands, Indonesia - 1 records
- Flores, Indonesia - 1 records
- Komodo, Indonesia - 1 records
- Lombok & Gili Islands, Indonesia - 2 records
- Sulawesi, Indonesia - 1 records
- Perhentian Islands, Malaysia - 6 records
- Redang Island, Malaysia - 7 records
- Sipadan, Malaysia - 4 records
- Tioman Island, Malaysia - 5 records
- Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar - 15 records
- Dumaguete, Philippines - 5 records
- Siargao, Philippines - 2 records
- Tubbataha Reef, Philippines - 6 records
- Visayas, Philippines - 25 records
- Southern Islands, Singapore - 1 records
- Gulf of Thailand, Thailand - 91 records
- Koh Lanta & Phi Phi, Thailand - 3 records
- Similan Islands, Thailand - 25 records