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Whale shark alert
Whale shark alert! Miguel’s Diving staff often see these giants of the sea.
Whale Shark Alert
This month we have seen a whale shark on three different days. That makes for a whale shark alert!
Guests with Miguel’s Diving staff today enjoyed seeing a 6 to 7 meter long whale shark. We are currently assisting with a coral research project. Everyone was distracted from the work at hand. Perhaps the whale shark wanted to help.
This was actually the third whale shark alert this month in Gorontalo. Last week a small one, measuring only three meters, got lost in shallow waters. That means this one is still quite young. Local fishermen towed it out to sea and to safety.
The first one sighted by Miguel’s Diving staff earlier in the month was not quite as large as the one today. That would make three different whale sharks.
Giants of the Sea
Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world. Adult size is around 10 meters. Some say that they can grow up to 14 meters. Whale sharks can weigh up to 21,000 kilos. They can live up to one hundred years.
They eat plankton and small fishes. They suck in water near the surface that is rich in plankton. Edible items are sifted through their fine teeth and swallowed. Water is evacuated through its five gills slits. They can actually eat large volumes this way. That is what allows them to grow to enormous sizes.
They are found in warm, tropical waters worldwide. They are not found in the Mediterrean Ocean. They often migrate great distances. They are commonly seen on the surface. However, research shows that they can dive below 1,250 meters.
Other dive locations in Sulawesi do not expect to have a whale shark alert. However
, divers in Gorontalo can see them. For your chance for a whale shark alert, please book your dive trip with us.