NINGALOO (AUSTRALIA)- A group of at least 25 whale sharks has been spotted feeding on krill off the Ningaloo coast in Western Australia’s North-West. Never before had anyone seen such a group off this coast, where whale sharks normally are a big tourist attraction.
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) is asking boaters to take extra caution around the newly discovered aggregation of whale sharks off Ningaloo.
The whale sharks are feeding at the surface, making them vulnerable to boat strike. The group of at least 25 whale sharks was spotted earlier this month by recreational boater Luke Ryan feeding on krill west of the Muiron Islands, and later confirmed by DEC marine rangers. DEC Exmouth whale shark conservation officer Emily Wilson said it was the first time feeding aggregations of more than 20 whale sharks had been recorded in the Ningaloo area, although aggregations of this size have been observed in other parts of the world.
“At this stage, it was clear from observations and plankton samples collected the sharks were in the area due to the abundance of food on the surface of the water, however we are unsure if this feeding aggregation is a unique event or a common occurrence at night when no-one is there to witness it,” she said to newspaper Perth Now.
Read more at Perth Now.
