Veraval, 28th March 2024: The Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, situated on the west coast of India, hosts a preferred habitat and aggregation ground for the world’s largest living fish, the Whale shark (Rhincodon typus). In an effort to gain insights into the biological preferences and study the movement patterns of Whale sharks in this area, the Gujarat Forest Department and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) have joined hands to conduct satellite telemetry studies on five Whale sharks.  

A 27-foot-long adult male Whale shark was found entangled in a fishing net, 12 km from the Veraval harbour on 28th March 2024. Responding swiftly, a team from WTI accompanied by Veraval Range Forest officers rushed to the rescue and carefully fitted a satellite transmitter on the first dorsal fin of the Whale shark before releasing it back into the sea.  

Between 2011 and 2017, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) embarked on a groundbreaking study by tagging eight Whale sharks in India. This study provided valuable insights into the extensive migratory patterns of these majestic creatures and highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive conservation strategy. A female Whale shark satellite tagged near Sutrapada fishing village on 30 December 2016, became the longest-tracked Whale shark (250+ days) from the Indian subcontinent. It travelled a distance of 7,500 km and was heading towards the Somalian coast before it turned and started its return migration. Another tagged Whale shark made an impressive journey covering 2,500 km in 138 days, marking the second-longest tracking record from the Indian subcontinent. The individual was close to Oman waters when the transmitter signal was lost. The results were further published in scientific publication in collaborative analysis made by AIMS, Australia. (Lucy M. Arrowsmith, Charan Kumar Paidi, Farukhkha Husenkha Bloch et all, 2021)

The Whale shark is the largest fish on earth and is recognised as a vital keystone species in our marine ecosystem. It  can reach astonishing lengths of approx. 18 metres and weigh a remarkable 21 metric tonnes. Whale sharks rely extensively on the marine environment to fulfill their feeding and breeding needs. However, their vast migratory behaviour exposes them to numerous threats including habitat destruction, unregulated and unsustainable fishing practices, accidental entanglement in fishing nets, collision with boats as well as extensive coastal pollution.These threats collectively endanger the species, pushing them close to extinction.

Given these challenges,  there is an urgent need to develop a more comprehensive species recovery plan at both national and international levels. It is imperative to study the migration patterns and seasonal movement through scientific research of satellite tracking of Whale sharks off the coast of Gujarat. The data provided by the satellite tags is essential for formulating conservation management strategies for these megafaunas, especially those using a large marine spatial area under different geopolitical jurisdictions.

Until 2001, this fish was brutally hunted on the coast of Gujarat to meet international trade demands for shark fins, liver oil, skin and meat, as revealed through a Green Oscar-winning documentary ‘Shores of Silence’ by Mike Pandey. A report by TRAFFIC India in 2001 documented a total of 600 whale shark landings between March 1999 and May 2004. As a result, the Indian Government Ministry of Environment and Forests listed the whale shark in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The whale shark thus became the first fish to get the highest level of protection nationwide in 2001.

Read more about WTI’s Whale Shark Conservation Project