shark
Whale shark.
Rhincodon typus · also: Gentle giant
The largest fish alive — a filter-feeding giant that can reach 12–18 m yet eats some of the ocean's smallest prey. Its pattern of pale spots is as unique as a fingerprint, and South Ari Atoll hosts one of the world's few year-round aggregations. Despite its size it is utterly harmless to swimmers.
Size
Commonly 8–12 m; up to ~18 m — the largest fish
Weight
Commonly up to ~20 tonnes.
Diet
Plankton — copepods, krill, fish eggs — plus small fish and squid.
Lifespan
Roughly 80–130 years (estimates vary).
Depth
Usually surface to ~100 m; recorded diving to ~1,900 m.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous; one female carried 300+ embryos. Matures very late (~30 yrs).
Snorkel or dive
Snorkel
Best season
Year-round in South Ari
Conservation
Endangered
How to recognise it
Enormous; flattened head; checkerboard of pale spots and stripes on a grey-blue back.
Behaviour
Slow-moving plankton filter feeder; harmless; often cruises near the surface.
Where to see it in the Maldives
South Ari Atoll (SAMPA) around Maamigili and Dhigurah — a resident, year-round population.
Conservation
Fisheries and finning, bycatch, vessel strikes; late maturity slows recovery.
IUCN · Endangered
Watch them responsibly
Keep ~3–4 m from the body and tail, no touching, no flash, never block its path or free-dive beneath it.
Each whale shark's spot pattern is unique and ID'd using NASA star-mapping algorithms.
Pups develop at staggered stages inside the mother (asynchronous gestation) — one litter can hold embryos of many ages.
Collective noun: a shiver of sharks
Want to dive with whale shark?
Our Maldives specialists match you to the right atoll, season and resort.
Sightings are typical, not guaranteed — encounters vary with season and conditions.