Whale sharks, some as large as 40 feet, are the gentlest giants in the ocean and they are threatened mainly by human hunting and by loss of habitat. The oil spill in the Gulf is threatening this majestic animal even further by rendering it's Gulf of Mexico habitat uninhabitable. Here is a brief introduction to the whale shark from the Whale Shark Project:
The Whale shark the biggest fish in the sea and there are only a few whale species larger than it. Thought to reach up to a possible 20 meters and 34 tonnes it seems difficult to believe that Whale Sharks feed on microscopic plankton rarely more than 3 mm in size. The combination of its immense size and characteristic checkerboard pattern makes the Whale Shark almost unmistakable and completely unforgettable.
The Whale Shark Project's site is here
The shark is important to the ecosystem because they are what is called apex predators meaning they are at the top of the ocean food chain. Removal of these predators would have a top down effect on the ocean's ecosystem just as the destruction of coral and algae at the bottom of the ocean has a bottom to top impact. See more below:
continued at Daily Kos....
