An Unexpected Encounter with a Whale Shark in Australia

A whale shark appeared on the coast of Australia? It may not seem like an unusual sentence at first glance… but it becomes quite surprising when you consider exactly where this was found.

Thomas D’Emilio, an experienced fisherman from Hervey Bay, Queensland, recently had a once-in-a-lifetime experience when one of these gentle giants appeared alongside his boat. Known as the largest fish species on the planet, they are characterized by their large size, averaging 40 feet (12 meters) in length and weighing a few metric tons. Despite their large size, whale sharks are filter feeders, consuming plankton, small fish, and sometimes even algae. They have white spots and distinct stripes against a dark background, making them easily recognizable. Found in tropical and sub-tropical waters around the world, whale sharks are often seen in areas such as the Indo-Pacific region, along the coast of Australia, the Maldives, and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

D’Emilio’s encounter with the whale shark was completely unplanned. He attributes his luck to a unique combination of timing and, oddly enough, his friend Toby is seasick. “It was really funny. I was with my partner Toby and I wanted to go to a place that was in the middle and it swelled a bit. [We started losing fish to sharks.] The only reason we come back is because [Toby] he was feeling seasick and wanted to stay on the island for a while,” he told ABC Australia. As they scanned the horizon for potential fish near Arch Cliffs, they spotted the unmistakable silhouette of a whale shark in the water. The curious creature circled their boat before swimming away. “It was really weird,” D’Emilio said. “Like [Toby] I had no strong sense of the sea, we would have gone too far and missed it all.”

D’Emilio, who has spent most of his life fishing in these waters, had never encountered a whale shark in the area before: “I didn’t even know if it was possible to find [whale sharks] here.” Whale sharks, although more associated with areas such as the Ningaloo Reef off the coast of Western Australia, are known to be seen regularly in eastern waters as well. According to fellow Murdoch University researcher, Dr. Brad Norman, seeing them These mysterious creatures provide important insights into their behavior and distribution patterns.

“Only in November [2023] last year I was part of a team working in the far north of the Great Barrier Reef on Raine Island and we encountered a large number of whale sharks,” Norman explained. “Whale sharks are widely distributed but sometimes they are very secretive so when they are seen it is very exciting.”

Despite the excitement surrounding D’Emilio’s fight, the constant presence of whale sharks is not quite enough to attract tourism to Hervey Bay. Unlike the annual migrating whale festival, whose presence is sure to draw crowds, whale sharks are still rare, making it difficult to set up special whale shark watching tours. “I don’t think we could run a whale shark tour – it would be amazing if we could,” Vikki Neville, an experienced tour guide with more than 25 years of experience operating whale watching boats in the area, agreed.

However, marine enthusiasts remain hopeful that recent sightings like these will contribute to ongoing conservation efforts. Although whale sharks face serious threats worldwide, including habitat loss and fishing pressure, Australia’s relatively healthy population offers a glimmer of hope. With continuous monitoring and data collection, researchers can evaluate the effectiveness of conservation measures and ensure the long-term survival of these amazing creatures. However, their number in the world has decreased significantly in recent years, raising concerns about their conservation status. Norman emphasized the importance of recording sightings to understand and protect these amazing creatures. “While sightings are increasing as more people visit K’gari, we still have a lot to learn about their behavior and behaviour,” he added.

Although whale sharks may remain out of sight in this part of Australia for now, their frequent sightings provide a glimpse into the hidden world of Queensland’s coastal ecosystems.