Scientific name: Rhincodon typus

The whale shark is the world's largest living fish. Its appearance is unique: it has alternating thin white vertical bars and columns of spots on a dark background. This shark swims slowly near the surface, and it has a huge mouth for consuming small crustacean plankton and small and large fish. The whale shark is found in all tropical and subtropical oceans, along coastal regions, and enters lagoon on tropical islands. Divers and snorkelers can swim with this shark because it is gentle and curious.