Whale shark, in a net?

[whitehead]

Note I said "perverse".

The other perverse "truth" is that if you actually mentioned the word "whale shark" to all of the worlds population I would hazard a guess that more than 95% would be horrified at a shark the size of whale - I bet 95% would assume it ate human beings at any chance it got.

We need a disney film!

 

[archman]

As far as I know whale sharks are not specifically targetted for the sharkfin soup industry. They're not common enough to maintain a commercial fishery.

As for keeping animals in captivity for educational purposes, that has quite a bit of merit. The problem with whale sharks is that they're rather rare, and they don't do well in aquariums. If their health and longevity can be upped to at least that of wild animals, many public and scientific complaints would stop. Until that time, they should only be captively held for research purposes.

 

[Jetwrench]

How's that any different than taking a Labrador Retriever (or any other dog) and keeping it fenced inside a suburban yard ???

Not the brightest star in the sky, are you?

 

[japan-diver]

Seems there is a lot of mis information out there. The aquarium in Okinawa has had multiple whale sharks in it for years and they are doing quite well. Since I moved to Okinawa 14 years ago this has been the case.

The shark in question is in a net off the coast of Okinawa and is feed 2-3 times a day a steady diet of krill which is grown in aquariums for it. The shark is rotated out on a regular basis and is being studied by researchers and attempts at mating in captivity have been tried unsuccessfully to this point. The first shark placed in the net was one that was accidently captured in a fishing net and injured and the net was placed so it could be nursed back to health by the experts at the Okinawa Aquarium. Since then there have been a number of sharks rotated through the net and the studies have continued. Diving with the shark on feeding dives was originally used as a way to offset the high cost of growing krill to feed these critters. Although more money making diving then research is being done here now on these sharks they are still checked on regularly by the aquarium folks and are doing well. The last time they did release one he hung around for a few days before leaving when he figured out the free lunch was no longer available.

Just in case someone is wondering Reef Encounters is not associated with the keeping of the sharks and we do not offer diving in the enclosure.

 

[archman]

Well dang, looks like we all owe some people a bunch of apologies! I'm SO GLAD that things are MUCH better than I thought. Geez, this is what I get for not conducting my own research into this; a cream pie in the face.

Thanks japan-diver! I look forward to future postings rectifying our wild assumptions!

I wonder why the U.S. doesn't have whale sharks in aquaria, if the technology to support them is sound. Oh yeah... the things are a logistical nightmare to safely transport. Hmmm... maybe Hawaii could get one or two...

 

[AmyJ]

Thank you for the information. We can only go with the information we have, which is part of the reason I appreciate the wide diversity of people that are on scubaboard. Thanks for clearing this up!

 

[ssra30]

Hmm, I am not sure if that really make me feel that much better especially when it is mentioned that it is more money making rather than research that is being done on the shark now. Also even if it is for raising money to keep sharks in captivity for research, whatever happen to good diving etiquette of look and don't touch only!
I suppose I would be much happier if I hear that the sharks are kept strictly for research and only let occasional divers in to help with the cost of keeping it in captivity. Being look after by an aquarium staffs does not mean much unless the shark is kept there for a purpose other than a commercial one, I think.

I have not heard of aquarium in the US with whale shark but I think the aquarium in Chicago has a couple of small whales or at least used to.

 

[AmyJ]

Hmm, I am not sure if that really make me feel that much better especially when it is mentioned that it is more money making rather than research that is being done on the shark now. Also even if it is for raising money to keep sharks in captivity for research, whatever happen to good diving etiquette of look and don't touch only!
I suppose I would be much happier if I hear that the sharks are kept strictly for research and only let occasional divers in to help with the cost of keeping it in captivity. Being look after by an aquarium staffs does not mean much unless the shark is kept there for a purpose other than a commercial one, I think.

I have not heard of aquarium in the US with whale shark but I think the aquarium in Chicago has a couple of small whales or at least used to.

I agree, it's certainly not "all good now", but at least better than first look would indicate.

 

[Squalus]

Seems there is a lot of mis information out there. The aquarium in Okinawa has had multiple whale sharks in it for years and they are doing quite well. Since I moved to Okinawa 14 years ago this has been the case.

The shark in question is in a net off the coast of Okinawa and is feed 2-3 times a day a steady diet of krill which is grown in aquariums for it. The shark is rotated out on a regular basis and is being studied by researchers and attempts at mating in captivity have been tried unsuccessfully to this point. The first shark placed in the net was one that was accidently captured in a fishing net and injured and the net was placed so it could be nursed back to health by the experts at the Okinawa Aquarium. Since then there have been a number of sharks rotated through the net and the studies have continued. Diving with the shark on feeding dives was originally used as a way to offset the high cost of growing krill to feed these critters. Although more money making diving then research is being done here now on these sharks they are still checked on regularly by the aquarium folks and are doing well. The last time they did release one he hung around for a few days before leaving when he figured out the free lunch was no longer available.

Just in case someone is wondering Reef Encounters is not associated with the keeping of the sharks and we do not offer diving in the enclosure.

I'm glad you guys don't offer that...All in the name of money, who would have figured

 

[archman]

White whales are kept at several U.S. aquariums (including the one in Chicago), as are their close cousins the pilot whales. But those are small cetaceans, much smaller than killer whales. Whale sharks fill out to exceed 35 feet in length, which would require a massive aquarium indeed. A baby whale shark starts off the size of a dolphin!

Public aquariums spend small fortunes DAILY on food for their specimens, just like zoos. I've taken care of dolphins before... a couple buckets of fish daily, plus vitamins. It ain't cheap. I'm sure most if not all of the money made off the limited diving ops with the whale sharks goes straight into upkeep costs for the animals.

"Look and don't touch" isn't a hard rule. It's primarily in place for uneducated or unsupervised divers, and then mostly limited to sensitive habitats. If you've seen diver ops in places like DisneyWorld or many public aquariums, they're usually tightly regulated by staff divers, or the volunteer divers have been through extensive training. Captive animals also develop greater tolerances to human interaction than wild ones... this can often backfire when the critters have to be released back into the wild. Sea otters and dolphins are particularly problematic in this regard, and require extensive "rehab" before they can be released back. It often doesn't work, anyway.

Fortunately whale sharks are rather er... stupid.