Whale Shark

Photo: Simon Pierce · CC BY-NC

Whale sharks, the largest fish on Earth, visit Hanifaru Bay to exploit the same dense plankton blooms as manta rays, often arriving in groups of five to fifteen individuals. They feed by ram-filtering or suction-feeding at the surface, consuming krill, copepods, fish eggs, and small baitfish with minimal energy expenditure. Their seasonal presence at nutrient hotspots like Hanifaru makes them valuable indicators of oceanic productivity.