Whale sharks

[Bowmouth]

...the best place for whale sharks in Thailand is around the Gulf...ie Koh Samui, Koh Tao etc....

Yes, and the moon is made of cheese...

 

[limbo]

Maybe he confused the threads, although his observation seems to have a ring of truth in it. At least so far this season.
Days on end, back to back whaleshark encounters, it was great!

 

[Bowmouth]

Maybe he confused the threads, although his observation seems to have a ring of truth in it. At least so far this season.
Days on end, back to back whaleshark encounters, it was great!

Wow, that's great indeed. Are the whalesharks seen in the Gulf as on the West Coast mainly young animals (3-6 meters long) or bigger than that?
Is anyone keeping a record of Gulf whaleshark sightings and submitting them to some sort of whaleshark research institute (eg www.whaleshark.org)?
Any whaleshark encounters, observations (scars, estimated size, sex etc) and/or pictures are greatly appreciated by those research institutes and can on the long run make a difference in the survival and protection of the species as a whole.

 

[limbo]

Mainly young animals, mostly between 3 and 6 meters.
Don't know about other divers but I do keep track and submit info.

 

[TimA]

We here in Kuraburi are sure the information will eventually filter down there to Khao Lak and Phuket. Day before yesterday there was a Whaleshark at Richelieu. Yesterday morning Whaleshark at Richelieu. Day before yesterday 3 Manta and a big Napoleon at Surin Islands.
Its happening right before your very eyes. Its not a secret!

Surf and Dive Charters to North Sumatra, Simeulue, and Banyak Islands.

 

[Bowmouth]

Mainly young animals, mostly between 3 and 6 meters.
Don't know about other divers but I do keep track and submit info.

That's good to hear. There's still a lot we do not know about whalesharks and any info about sightings is valuable to get a better understanding of the migration patterns, numbers, age and possible return of the same animal in the same location in different years.

 

[limbo]

We here in Kuraburi are sure the information will eventually filter down there to Khao Lak and Phuket. Day before yesterday there was a Whaleshark at Richelieu. Yesterday morning Whaleshark at Richelieu. Day before yesterday 3 Manta and a big Napoleon at Surin Islands.
Its happening right before your very eyes. Its not a secret!

Surf and Dive Charters to North Sumatra, Simeulue, and Banyak Islands.

That's good to hear, especially considering that I'll be along those shores mid January.

 

[adamtodd]

I saw a whale shark in Thailand, about one year ago. On R. Rock. However, I don't think Thailand is one of the places where you can easily see Whale Sharks. Philippines/Belize/Mozamibque are more along those lines. I saw 12 Whale Sharks on one dive in Belize - In the Spring they are a sure thing.

In Thailand it is all about luck, and persistance of coarse.
It is easier to find Giant Manta's in Thailand.

 

[stevenl]

Now at the Similans, we have had no mantas or whale sharks so far this season.

We did, both whaleshark and manta ray.

 

[Bowmouth]

..I don't think Thailand is one of the places where you can easily see Whale Sharks. In Thailand it is all about luck...

You're right. And that's exactly why it's such a thrill to see one here. To me diving a site with (almost) guaranteed whaleshark sightings would be not half the thrill as stumbling on one when you least expect it.