Whale Shark Watch: Tourists stumble upon 4 endangered whale sharks in southern Thailand

Photo:  Driving Diary @ Koh Talu
Photo: Driving Diary @ Koh Talu

Tourists and divers rejoiced today when their boat stumbled upon four endangered whale sharks along the coast of Thailand’s southern Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.

This morning, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) received a report that a speed boat transporting tourists to Koh Talu spotted four whale sharks only about three meters from the Baan Nong Samet district shore.

The whale sharks — one, reportedly, 6-7 meters long while the others three were around 3-5 meters — appeared to be looking for food near the surface, as the water was only 7-8 meters deep at that area, reported Workpoint.

DMCR Deputy Chief Sopon Thongdee regarded the discovery of the species, considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as a sign that conservation efforts were helping to increase biodiversity in Thailand’s waters.

He pointed out how rare it is to see four whale sharks at one time, whilst crediting the rejuvenation of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s sea life to collaborative conservation efforts between local fisherman and commercial fishing boats, reported Thai Post.

Sopon advised other tourists that may stumble upon the whale sharks to avoid touching or feeding them and said passing boats should lower their speed and noise pollution near the creatures.

And flash photography of the filter-feeding beasts is also strongly discouraged, of course.

 



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