The New Whale Shark’s Research place
The New Whale Shark’s Research place
Every March and April, whale sharks are often gathered in the central western coast of Australia, particularly in the Ningaloo Reef area. A study conducted in this area to provide information about the movements and behavior of this species of shark. The whale shark is estimated to migrate to Ningaloo Reef each year just to take advantage of the concentration of zooplankton (microscopic animals) are high, associated with large-scale coral spawning events that occurred during March and April. In addition, Whale sharks were also observed near La Paz, Mexico.
In May 2011, the WWF took the initiative to conduct research area of ??the National Parks Conservation Cendrawasih Bay, Papua, especially in the Kwatisore marine area. The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) often appear on the surface of the water in these waters. Local communities also named the whale sharks as “gurano bintang”. Whale sharks usually appears around the “bagan” (houseboat fishing spot) which are found along the marine area of Kwatisore. A set of Puri fish (small fish) are collected in the nets of fishermen in the “bagan” became a magnet for the flock of whale sharks. TNTC noted, in 2011, there were about 40 whale sharks in the Cendrawasih bay.
There is a unique way of calling whale sharks in these marine area, the local fishermen around the “bagan”, patting the surface of the water, tossing some Puri fish. A little while a group of whale sharks come with an open mouth and devour fish earlier. At this moment there is interaction with whale sharks, they swim around the chart with a quiet, unique scenery and we may not get at other aggregation.
One of the activities conducted by researchers is to put tags on the dorsal fins of fat thickness. The tools needed to fire into the backs of whale sharks tagged as too dangerous to be so close to these giant fish. Six months later tag will be released and the data will begin to be transmitted via satellite.