A whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is eating plankton on the surface. Rhincodon typus is a filter … [+] feeder. It swim slowly at the surface filtering plankton through their enormous gill slits. Getty Images Recent studies have illuminated predictable relationships between these majestic creatures and their surroundings, hinting at their heightened sensitivity to environmental changes. …
In the crystal-clear waters off Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef, a group of snorkelers huddle together in eager anticipation. Sunlight dances on the surface, casting mesmerizing patterns on the sandy seabed below. The ocean, stretching out in every direction, seemed infinite in its shades of blue. As they bob gently on the surface, snorkels in mouths …
Despite their ecological importance, sharks face one of the highest extinction risks among vertebrates, with more than a third of shark and ray species currently at risk of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Overfishing is a primary driver of this decline, exacerbated by the life history traits of sharks, including …
In 2014, a remarkable encounter with a whale shark sparked a journey of discovery off the coast of Madagascar’s Nosy Be. Little did marine enthusiast and researcher, Stella Diamant, know that this encounter would lead to a groundbreaking initiative in citizen science. Fast forward to today, and the results are nothing short of extraordinary: the …
At first glance, our skin may look boring to you. But if you take a closer look, every cell carries within them a hidden world of microbes that orchestrate intricate networks on their surface. These tiny organisms might not be visible to the naked eye, but they play a pivotal role in maintaining the health …
In spite of their size, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are filter feeders, feeding on plankton, small fish, and other microscopic organisms. To capture their prey, they typically swim slowly near the water’s surface, opening their massive mouths up to filter large volumes of water. In its throat, specialized structures called gill rakers filter out food …