The whale shark or most commonly called as ‘butanding’ in the Philippines is the largest shark in the world. It is also one of the most endangered animals in the world. People are hunting and killing then for their fins and meat because these goods are worth millions of pesos since the demand is very high especially in Asian countries. These mass killings diminished the numbers of these sharks down to one thousand. They are very much threatened and something has to be done to save these marine animals.

Usually, the first thing to do to save these creatures is to inform the people about the lifestyle and characteristics of these sharks. Usually, when a person hears the word “shark”, he or she automatically hears the theme song of ‘JAWS’. The movie was so popular that it stereotyped all species of sharks as man-eating animals. What most people don’t know about these whale sharks is that they are very gentle. Sometimes, they are actually called the ‘gentle giants of the seas’. Unlike their cousins the great white shark, these butandings only eat microscopic plants and animals and planktons. They are not aggressive and are generally very slow swimmers. They would typically ignore other creatures swimming with them including humans. Whale sharks are vary in length, but you can be sure that they would be terrifyingly huge compared to other creatures. Their lengths are usually in between four to twelve meters, and they can weigh at a maximum of 15 tons or 30,000 pounds. No worries though, as what was mentioned these animals are one of the gentlest creatures in the seas. Whale sharks can be easily identified not only through their enormous size but also through their unique white spots on their backs among vertical and horizontal lines. They also have a unique wide mouth.

Whale sharks are very much endangered because not only are they hunted in different parts of the world despite laws against these acts; they are also very slow in reproduction despite being a fish. The reproduction age of female whale sharks in thirty years old, and their estimated life span is about 100 to 150 years old; however due to overfishing, most whale sharks don’t live that long.

Whale sharks are typically found in warm waters, so they are common in tropical areas like the Philippines, Mexico, Taiwan, and India. They are migrating fish, so they don’t stay in one place whole year round. Whale sharks tend to swim near the surface of the water; that’s why it is very easy to hunt them because their dorsal fin is visible from above.

Another way of conserving these gentle animals is to create ways on how people can appreciate them. One way is by creating recreational diving tours with these magnificent animals. One of the places where this service is available is here in our country. Since Philippines is a tropical country, whale sharks tend to pass through our waters. The most common place to spot these butandings is in Donsol, Sorsogon Province. Some scientists say that this place has the largest number of whale sharks gathering in one area; that’s why this place is also called as the “Whale Shark Capital of the World”. The body of water in Donsol is relatively clean, has a warm temperature, and has a healthy number of planktons, which is the main nutrition of these animals. They migrate in the Philippine water during the months of February to May; however it is during the months of March and April when a person can have the likeliest chance to encounter these creatures. It is said that during these two months, it is very possible to come across eight to ten sharks in just two hours.

One can reach Donsol by travelling through one hour car ride from Legazpi city, a more cosmopolitan place. From there tourists can rent a boat worth around Php 2,500 inclusive of a fisherman guide who is already an expert on where to spot these animals. The best time to see these animals is early in the morning when the water is still calm. When there is not much waves whale sharks tend to swim in the surface, which gives perfect opportunity for tourists to snorkel around a butanding.

Like any other tours, there are strict rules and regulations when one wants to swim with the whale shark. The most important is not to touch or ride these fish. Despite them being gentle it is not advisable to go too near because one slight movement from them can harm a person because of their size. Another important reminder is not to use flash photography because naturally, this might provoke them or scare them away. Furthermore, one should not swim in front of the whale shark’s face. Even though it does not feed on human, its mouth is big enough to accidentally swallow a human being. There are a lot of other rules which depends on the tour that a person is joining; these are just some of the similar reminders for all agencies. Nevertheless, the most important rule is to enjoy the encounter with the whale sharks and appreciate its beauty so that you can spread it to your friends and family and help save these magnificent marine animals.