The Wildlife Trust of India’s “Pan India Whale Shark Project” has rescued and released 1,001 whale sharks that were accidentally entangled in fishing nets, which the agency says is a milestone that reflects the remarkable collaboration between conservationists, government agencies, and the country’s compassionate fishing communities in saving these gentle giants of the ocean.
Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are the largest fish in the ocean, with the largest reliable record of a whale shark measuring 62 feet (18.8 meters) in total length. Despite their immense size, these gentle giants are filter feeders, primarily consuming plankton, small fish, and other tiny organisms by swimming with their mouths open to filter food from the water. Recognizable by their distinctive patterns of white spots and stripes on a grayish-blue body, whale sharks are found in tropical and warm temperate oceans around the world. A migratory species, they often traveling vast distances to feed and breed, but many aspects of their behavior and life cycle remain mysterious. Unfortunately, they are listed as endangered due to threats like accidental entanglement in fishing gear, habitat destruction, and hunting.
The latest rescue occurred on the festive day of Pongal, or Makar Sankranti, at Achutheghu, Thiruvananthapuram, in Kerala. Fisherfolk carefully disentangled a whale shark from their fishing nets and guided it back into the sea, marking the 34th such rescue in Kerala since the state joined the Pan India Whale Shark Project in 2017. This initiative, spearheaded by WTI in collaboration with the Kerala Forest and Fisheries Departments and supported by VST Industries Limited, has thrived thanks to the unwavering support of local communities.
“For the past seven years, this project in Kerala has thrived through unwavering community support,” said Saymanti B, Officer-in-Charge of Natural Heritage Campaigns at WTI. “The 34th rescue from our project site stands as a testament to the power of successful private partnerships. These achievements would not have been possible without the incredible collaboration of the fishing community, supportive collaborators, and donors.”
But this success story dates back to 2004, when WTI launched the Pan India Whale Shark Project in Gujarat. At the time, whale sharks faced an alarming threat due to mass hunting; this plight gained global attention through Mike Pandey’s award-winning documentary, “Shores of Silence,” which shed light on the slaughter of these majestic creatures. A report by TRAFFIC India further revealed over 600 whale shark landings between 1999 and 2000, emphasizing the urgency for action. In response, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change listed the whale shark in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, giving it the highest level of protection. A historic decision, as whale sharks became the first fish species in India to receive such status.
Since then, the project in Gujarat has facilitated the rescue and release of 967 whale sharks, with fishers playing a pivotal role. Their willingness to adapt fishing practices and actively participate in conservation efforts has been instrumental in this success, stresses WTI. The initiative has also benefited from partnerships with the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Tata Chemicals Ltd., and the Gujarat Forest Department, which have all provided vital resources and support. WTI has also agged 11 whale sharks since 2011, enabling researchers to track their movements and gain insights into their migration patterns off the Indian coastline and beyond. Farukhkha Bloch, Head of the Pan India Whale Shark Project, explains: “The Saurashtra coast of Gujarat hosts a preferred aggregation habitat for whale sharks to meet their biological needs, especially females to give birth to young ones and feed on plankton. Our collaboration with the Gujarat Forest Department has allowed us to study their movement patterns and biological preferences.” The team hopes to tag more sharks in the future for further insights into how they use the waters off India. With continued efforts, India’s whale shark population has a fighting chance to thrive.
