Rare magamouth shark caught

So rare are these sharks that each of them is designated with a number.

But sadly the 41st specimen of the megamouth shark has been caught, killed and eaten by fisherman in the Philippines.

According to the WWF the locals were trawling for mackerel along the eastern coast of Burias Isle on March 30 when they caught the giant shark from a depth of 200 metres.

The shark was brought to Barangay Dancalan in Donsol, Sorsogon where WWF Donsol Project Manager Elson Aca identified it as a megamouth.

Despite pleas, the fishermen butchered the megamouth and sauteed it in coconut milk.



Rarest of all sharks, the megamouth (Megachasma pelagios) is a fairly recent scientific discovery, with just over 40 recorded encounters worldwide.

The first specimen was caught off Oahu, Hawaii in 1976 and was hailed as the 20th century’s most significant marine find.

Megamouth 41, as named by the Florida Museum of Natural History, measured four metres and weighed an estimated 500 kilograms. Facial scars indicated a protracted struggle with the fishers’ gill-nets while stomach contents revealed it was feeding on shrimp larvae.

A tagging project almost 20 years ago indicated that the sharks spend the daytime in waters up to a kilometre deep and surface only at night to feed on plankton, small fish and jellyfish

Only last month WWF found and rescued a 15-inch baby whale shark.

“The presence of two of the world’s three filter feeding sharks warrants special attention for the Donsol-Masbate region,” said Aca.

“Whale and megamouth sharks, manta rays, dolphins and other charismatic giants indicate that the region’s ecosystem is still relatively healthy. By protecting megafauna, we help maintain the dynamic balance of our seas, and ensure the entire ecosystem’s resilience and natural productivity.”

Tiny Whale Shark

Measuring just 15 inches long and cradled in the hands of a diver, it’s hard to believe that this little fella will become the biggest fish in the world.



The tiny whale shark specimen - the smallest ever found - was rescued from a hawker in the Philippines and has helped shed new light on the breeding habits of whale sharks.
It was found on Saturday with a rope tied around its tail, secured to a stick poked in the sand in a coastal town near Donsol in Sorsogon province.
Donsol hosts the largest known annual congregation of whale sharks in the world and is thought to be a major feeding ground but little was known about where they went to give birth.
Thanks to the discovery, the archipelago is now thought to be a breeding ground rather than simply a stop-off point for the rare species.
WWF Vice-Chairman Jose Ma Lorenzo Tan said: “In spite of all the research being done worldwide on whale sharks, to this date no one knows where they breed or give birth.
“The Pilar pup was so small, it was probably born here and could have been what biologists call a neo-nate.
“Not only is this animal the smallest live whale shark on record ever to be captured and released here in the Philippines, and arguably, anywhere in the world, it is also the first indication that the Philippines, at the apex of the Coral Triangle, is probably one of the places on the planet where these giants of the sea are born.”

Save the Whale Shark

Whey-hey! I've finally done my bit for marine conservation after finding a great website creating an online photo-identification library of whale sharks.

I know it's only a small step.

But being a frustrated adventurer (no guts) and discovering too late in my life (now have a credit card and mortgage) that I should've studied marine biology at university (instead of something far less worthwhile) it's a big deal for me.

The ECOCEAN Whale Shark Photo-identification Library is a visual database of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) encounters and of individually catalogued whale sharks from around the globe.

By analysing the unique skin spotting patterns behind the gills of each shark it's possible to distinguish individual animals. The information can then be used by marine biologists to research the lives of these majestic creatures.

And I've contributed an encounter # 15122008134247

I was diving the White Knight reef, north of Sharks Bay, Sharm El-Sheikh, in Egypt's Red Sea in July (08), when dive guide Saffy spotted the shark at about 40m.

There had been rumours that whale sharks were about but I didn't really think I'd see one in the Red Sea. When we did my eyeballs filling the lens of my mask, but I managed to ping off a few shots on my camera.

I've now added three images to the database where they'll be more use than the "Guess what I saw while diving?" bragging that they have so far been used for.

I'll let you know whether we've captured a new whale shark on camera or sited one that has already been identified.

Whatever the outcome, I hope it will go someone to helping us to understand and protect these magnificent creatures.

And, I'll never moan about diving the house reef again. You never know what you could find.