It turns out whale sharks aren’t full carnivores, and can even go months without eating at all
Whale sharks are the largest fish in the sea, though as filter feeders, they don’t have the same bloodthirsty reputation as their kin. Still, theysharks, so it’s long been believed these gentle giants rely almost exclusively on animal protein.found, though. Careful investigation of blood and tissue samples from over a dozen whale sharks suggests that they actually have a pretty omnivorous diet that includes plants and algae.
Those making conservation decisions need concrete information about a species’ habits, including details like how individuals move around and what they need to eat, to determine the best ways to protect it. Tagging studies have elucidated the movement piece of the puzzle, but it’s basically impossible to follow these very mobile fish around all the time to see what they’re eating.
Prolonged fasting makes a lot of sense when you think about the animals’ environment, says Prebble. “Food availability in the open ocean is very patchy, so it would be a good strategy for them to gorge themselves when food is abundant, then use that energy to sustain them through periods of travelling or searching to find their next seafood buffet,” she says.
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