Scuba Season
Endangered· population decreasing· assessed 2025

Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

Sighting evidence at Bulusan Bay Whale Shark Zone, Donsol

Whale Shark

Photo: Leia · CC BY-NC

Donsol hosts the largest documented aggregation of whale sharks on earth, with counts exceeding 200 individuals in peak season. These filter feeders converge on the bay to exploit dense plankton blooms generated by seasonal upwellings, feeding with their cavernous mouths agape just beneath the surface. Interactions here are snorkel-only by regulation, preserving a respectful distance that the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries strictly enforces.

Evidence at this site

0 records within 25 km

Confidence: low

No date on file
How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Also seen at other sites