Facts About Whale Sharks In La Paz

Every year the "Bahía De La Paz" receives dozens of whale shark specimens, also known as “Rhincondon typus”. As they prefer warm waters, they are present in all tropical seas. It is for this reason that whale sharks arrive year after year to La Paz between the months of October and April, to feed.

La Paz is one of the few privileged places in the world where you can swim with the whale sharks every year! Here you'll find some cool facts about these beautiful animals:

1. It is not a whale, but the largest fish in the world

This huge creature can grow up to 39 feet (12 m) long. But, despite its size, the whale shark is considered a "gentle giant".

Being able to observe it in its natural habitat and even swimming by its side is a spectacular experience. Since, its immense size is directly proportional to its nobility. So this activity of swimming with whale sharks in La Paz is as safe as it is fun. This activity does not represent any danger to humans.

2. Eating is a laborious task

The whale shark feeds by filtration and cannot bite or chew, that is, by opening its huge jaws, it absorbs everything that is close to it and later closes them, expels and filters the water through the gills; everything else that remains inside is ingested. It is capable of processing more than 1,585 gallons (6,000 lt) of water per hour through its gills. Its mouth can be up to four feet (1.2 m) wide, but the whale shark's teeth are so small that they can only process small shrimp, fish, and plankton using their dermal denticles as a suction filter.

3. They can live for many years

Less than 10% of whale sharks that are born are believed to survive to adulthood, but those that do can live up to 150 years.

4. Swims slowly but migrates great distances

With the exception of the Mediterranean Sea, the whale shark can be seen in all the temperate and tropical oceans of the world as it migrates thousands of miles to different areas to feed. But it moves slowly, moving at speeds less than 3 miles per hour (4.8 kph).

5. Like other sharks, it is threatened

Many sharks are accidentally caught in fishing gear or intentionally hunted for their fins, considered a delicacy in Asia. In addition, their oceanic home is in danger and they face threats such as water-warming climate change - which affects both habitats and prey and population changes of sharks - and plastic pollution - which can be ingested or cause the whale shark to get entangled.

Swim with whale sharks in La Paz, the largest fish in the world, and live one of the most impressive experiences of your life. You will not regret!