There are lots of fun facts about whale sharks. Did you know that?
• The whale shark is the largest fish and largest shark. The whale shark is not a whale.
• Whale sharks inhabit the warm and tropical waters of the world's oceans and seas. They are found offshore and along the coast. Whale sharks spend most of their time near the surface.
• The whale shark has a huge mouth and more than 3,000 tiny teeth. It has a wide, flat head, two small eyes and five pairs of gills. Each whale shark has a unique checkerboard of yellow stripes and spots on its thick gray skin.
• Whale sharks can measure 60 feet (18 m) in length and weigh as much as 27,200 pounds (12,337 kg).
• The whale shark is a slow moving animal. Unlike other species of shark that propel their bodies with their tail, the whale shark uses it whole body to swim.
• Whale sharks eat plankton, krill and small squid but they don't seize their prey nor pick it off the ocean floor. Whale sharks are filter feeders meaning they strain their food from the water.