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Massive whale shark transported to Karachi fish harbor for sale.

Dead whale shark washes ashore in TN.

Endangered Whale Shark Fins Found in Singapore Airlines Shipment to HK.

Whale sharks are the largest fish in the sea but much of their behaviour is still unknown. In a world-first, we'll be attempting to hit the marine jackpot and determine how old whale sharks are using DNA samples. We're also placing trackers on them to discover where in the ocean they travel and how deep below the surface they go from one of their favourite hangouts - Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.

A study has uncovered the secret to why endangered whale sharks gather on mass at just a handful of locations around the world.

Stable isotope analysis of dermis was used to examine foraging behavior of whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. Values of δ13C and δ15N in dermis were compared to those obtained from likely species of local prey. The δ13C values of zooplankton and nektonic taxa at Ningaloo ranged from −18.9‰ to −16.5‰ reflecting the different carbon sources (from pelagic to more inshore and benthic) entering the food web. Isotopic values also varied depending on the diet-to-tissue discrimination factor applied in the analysis. When data was corrected using factors derived from slow turnover, structural cartilage in fins, whale sharks showed a greater reliance on pelagic food webs, whereas analyses using raw data suggested a greater dietary component from benthic and inshore habitats. Variability in δ15N values (6.9‰ to 10.8‰) implied different patterns of foraging among whale sharks, likely indicating movement among foraging localities that occur at Ningaloo Reef and along the Western Australian coast. There was evidence of enrichment in 15N occurring with increasing size in males and females, a pattern that could have been due to changes in growth rate and trophic level with age and/or an ontogenetic shift in feeding grounds. Given the variability potentially induced in stable isotope values by differences in rates of turnover of tissues and the use of diet-to-tissue discrimination factors, future studies would benefit from a multi-technique approach using different tissues to identify the diet of whale sharks.

781 whale sharks rescued, freed in Gujarat coast since 2004.

Sharp increase in Ningaloo whale shark injuries might be due to boat encounters.

Baby whale shark rescued from gillnet in India (VIDEO).

In pics: World's largest fish travels from Gujarat, reaches Maldives in 100 days.

Awareness drive, case help in protection of whale sharks.

Whale shark researchers have marked International Whale Shark Day by solving a long-standing mystery about where the world's largest fish go during the Australian spring and summer.

Mozambique sharks, manta rays population decline spurs conservation efforts.

At 300 kilometres long, Ningaloo Reef is Australia's largest fringing coral reef. It's home to some amazing marine life like frisky whale sharks, nesting turtles and deep-sea fish.

Mobile app encourages Indian fishers to free entangled whale sharks.

What do turtle nail clippings, diving whale sharks, and 12 million mushroom corals have in common?

Sharks are among Earth's most ancient creatures. We still have lots to learn about them, but what we know from science is fin-tastic.

Marine scientists have discovered that whale sharks eat plants, making the iconic fish the world's largest omnivore.