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- The Whale Shark Digestive System
- What does the whale shark eat?
- How do you hunt the whale shark?
- The whale shark, a vulnerable species
O Whale shark it is one of the most worrying fish. For example, is it a shark or a whale? Without a doubt, it is a shark and has the physiology of any other fish, however, its name was given due to its enormous size, as it can measure up to 12 meters in length and weigh more than 20 tons.
The whale shark inhabits the oceans and seas close to the tropics, this because it needs a warm habitat, being found at a depth of approximately 700 meters.
If you want to find out more information about this extraordinary species, in this article by the Animal Expert we tell you about whale shark feeding.
The Whale Shark Digestive System
The whale shark has a large mouth, so much so that its buccal cavity it can reach approximately 1.5 meters in width, its jaw is very strong and robust and in it we find multiple rows composed of small and sharp teeth.
However, the whale shark is similar to humpback whales (such as the blue whale), since the number of teeth it has does not play a decisive role in its diet.
The whale shark sucks in a large amount of water and food by closing its mouth, and then the water is filtered through its gills and expelled. On the other hand, all food that exceeds 3 millimeters in diameter is trapped in your oral cavity and subsequently swallowed.
What does the whale shark eat?
The mouth cavity of a whale shark is so big that a seal could fit inside it, yet this species of fish. feeds on small life forms, mainly krill, phytoplankton and algae, although it can also consume small crustaceans such as squid and crab larvae, and small fish such as sardines, mackerel, tuna and small anchovies.
The whale shark consumes an amount of food equal to 2% of its body mass each day. However, you can also spend some periods without eating, as has a power reserve system.
How do you hunt the whale shark?
the whale shark locates your food through olfactory signals, this is partly due to the small size of their eyes and their poor location.
To ingest its food, the whale shark is placed in an upright position, keeping its oral cavity close to the surface, and instead of constantly ingesting water, it is able to pump water through its gills, filtering, as we mentioned before. , the food.
The whale shark, a vulnerable species
According to the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), the whale shark is a vulnerable species at risk of extinction, which is why the fishing and sale of this species is prohibited and punished by law.
Some whale sharks remain in captivity in Japan and Atlanta, where they are studied and are expected to improve their reproduction, which should be the main object of study since very little is known about the reproductive process of the whale shark.
