Can you imagine swimming a few meters from a whale shark? This is possible on the coasts of Yucatan! The whale shark is a friendly, fascinating, mysterious creature that we still don’t know a lot about.
Swim among whale sharks in Yucatan
The Riviera Maya (Yucatan, Mexico) offers us a range of increasingly surprising options: From the majestic Mayan ruins and varied tropical jungle to its beautiful sea, both in terms of the beaches and the treasures in its depths.
One of the main tourist attractions in Yucatan is snorkeling. To carry out this activity you do not need previous experience and it is something that you will remember throughout your life, especially if you dare to swim among whale sharks.
Whale sharks are solitary animals that only meet at certain times of the year in warm waters to eat. You can swim between them between May and September in the maritime natural reserve that is located on the coasts of Quintana Roo (Mexico), on the coasts that surround Cancun, Holbox and Isla Mujeres.
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Origin and myths of the feathered serpentThese are groups of friendly and mysterious giant females between 22.9-49.2 ft. (7-15 meters) long that live in tropical and subtropical waters that LOVE to eat sardines, horse mackerel, crustaceans, krill and plankton, that is why they are harmless.
Each of these wonderful animals has a unique pattern on their skin, with a back that combines bluish-gray and brown with white spots. Its lower part is white.
(Mapa del área donde se encuentran los tiburones ballena en Yucatán)
Why are we talking only about adult females?
It turns out that the existence of males of the species is practically unknown and the females reach their sexual maturity at almost 30 years of age. Only one pregnant whale shark has ever been found, in 1996.
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Snorkel Tips For Beginners!Unfortunately, there is no more information about this species, the details about its reproduction and activity beyond the warm coasts is a complete mystery.
How do they reproduce? What are whale shark babies like?
However, this capture has allowed important discoveries to be made, such as the fact that it is an ovoviviparous species, like most sharks.
This means that they reproduce with eggs that develop within the mother until the embryo is fully developed and hatching can occur immediately before parturition or immediately after laying.
The funny thing is that females are real walking sperm banks! The more than 300 fertilized eggs inside had different stages of development.
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The marvel of Chichen Itza’s equinox
How are whale shark babies born?
Very little is yet known about how or where these mysterious sharks are born. However, some scientists argue that the breeding range of this species is restricted to open oceans.
How long is a baby whale shark?
Although they can grow to be more than 59.5 ft. (18 m) long and weigh more than 2205 pounds (35 tons), baby whale sharks usually measure about 1 ft. (0.31 m) long on average.
Another feature that drastically differentiates baby whale sharks from adults is that their upper tail fin is larger than the lower one, which is in stark contrast to the crescent-shaped tails that adults sport.
How much does a baby whale shark weigh?
A baby whale shark weighs just over 2 pounds (1 kg.). Some sources indicate that it can grow at a rate of about 1.1 ft. (49 cm) per year, but due to a lack of data, there is very little certainty about it.
What do baby whale sharks eat?
Due to their small size, the feeding possibilities of the juveniles of this species are limited and most of them turn to krill and plankton as their main food source.
Why are whale sharks said to be so vulnerable?
It is theorized that all the ovules in a female are fertilized by the same male, due to the difficulty of locating them.
What’s more, whale sharks take a long time to grow and reach sexual maturity (about 20 years) … and when they do, they produce very few young whose tiny size likely makes them easy prey for marine predators.
Finally, factors such as global warming and water pollution affect their migration, mating and feeding patterns, not only due to the reduction of species they consume but also due to the increase in microplastics and pesticides in the sea, which eventually end up poisoning them.
Come meet whale sharks in the Riviera Maya!
Cancun (Yucatan) is one of the few places in the world where whale sharks gather to feed and reproduce.
The whale shark season in Cancun begins in late May and ends in mid-September. The high season takes place in June and July when the amount of krill and plankton in the marine waters is greater due to the warmth of the waters.
You can find groups of 30-40 whale sharks feeding in a protected natural area an hour from the coast, in boats with licensed guides, then all you have to do is jump into the water and swim alongside them!
Dare to swim among whale sharks with our private tours and live a once-in-a-lifetime experience! They are extremely peaceful and friendly, there are even those who say that they like to have their belly scratched.
