Humans have over-exploited the whale shark — the world’s largest living fish — to such a degree that the ocean giants are actually shrinking in size, according to new research.
The whale shark population has also fallen by approximately 40 percent over the past decade in Western Australian waters, the new study has found, suggesting that this once prevalent shark, which can reach lengths up to 42 feet, is undergoing a severe decline in certain regions.
“We are all very alarmed at our findings, which really did defy our expectations,” co-author Ben Fitzpatrick, a University of Western Australia biologist, told Discovery News.
The researchers analyzed the largest-ever database of sightings and size information on whale sharks. The database represents a long-term, continuous record of sightings — 4,436 in total — as well as photo ID information concerning age and size, all pertaining to whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia.
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