Whale sharks                                                                                                        

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Context: Rare rescue mission led by the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department is an exemplary success story of active involvement of the local community in species conservation.

Facts about whale shark:

• Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are the world’s largest fish. 
• They feed on plankton and travel massive distances to find food to sustain their huge size, and for reproduction.
• Habitat: Found in all the tropical oceans of the world, whale sharks have white spotted colouration which make these gentle giants easy to distinguish.

• They are popular with snorkelers and divers at sites where they aggregate off the coast.

• Importance: The presence of whale sharks indicates the availability of plankton and the overall health of the oceans.
• Size: While not exactly known, the maximum size of a whale shark could be as large as 20 metres.
• Density: Gujarat has the maximum density of whale shark population in the Indo-pacific region.
• Threats: Oil & gas drilling, shipping lanes etc.
• Protection Status:

• IUCN Red List: Endangered
• CITES: Appendix II
• Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/meet-the-team-of-fishermen-in-visakhapatnam-who-saved-the-endangered-whale-shark/article38080827.ece