Scientific name: Rhyncodon Typus

The whale shark is the worlds largest living fish. Its appearance is unique: it has alternating thin white vertical bars and columns of spots on a dark background. This shark swims slowly near the surface, and it has a huge mouth for consuming small crustacean plankton and small and large fish. The whale is found in all tropical and subtropical oceans, along coastal regions, and enters lagoons on tropical islands. Divers and snorklers can swim with this shark because it is gentle and curious.