The Dorsal Fin

An 18′ (5.5m) whale shark (Rhincodon typus) was found by divers off the shores of Tingloy, Batangas with its dorsal and pectoral fins sliced off, according to a news release from the World Wildlife Fund – Philippines. The whale shark, known locally as “butanding,” was still alive when the divers found it on Monday. The shark was towed to calmer waters in Caban Cove, where efforts were made to flank and support the shark, but it inevitably died the next day as a result of its injuries. Obvious knife wounds were observed around the shark’s caudal fin, as well.

Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)

According to the news release, possession or slaughter of whale sharks in the Philippines is prohibited by Republic Act No. 8550 of the Fisheries Administrative Order. Violation of this act is punishable by a maximum fine of P10,000, four years in prison, and revocation of the violator’s fishing license. A GMANews.TV article on the story notes that whale shark meat, known as “tofu meat,” sells for P360 ($8) per kg, while shark fins sell for approximately one hundred times as much at P36,000 ($800) per kg.

The WWF has officially condemned the act and is calling for “enhanced enforcement” and for the responsible parties to be prosecuted.

The presence of whale sharks along the coast of East Java, Indonesia are causing an increase in local tourism. The migration patterns of the whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) take them through the area between January and March, and locals are paying up to 5,000 Indonesian Rupiah (which amounts to about $0.53 US, according to the NTD World News report) for boat trips taking them in close proximity of the sharks.

While it’s great to see a positive interest in these animals, the interview with one of the tourists about her fears towards being near a “shark” (despite it being a filter feeder) is indicative of some of the common misconceptions that are out there when it comes to sharks, in general. Then again, the fact that the news anchor referred to the fish as “mammals” might serve as a better example of the lack of understanding towards these animals. My only other major complaint with the report is that the “tour guide” featured in the video is shown apparently attempting to ride a whale shark.

While the report might be a be off on a few “facts,” it’s good to see a generally positive shark story in the news. It’s even more refreshing to hear the sharks referred to as “friendly fish.”

According to Time.com, Jacques Perrin’s sea-life documentary, Océans, opened to a warm reception in French movie theaters last week. Océans drew in 105,000 viewers in the first 48 hours, in France.

The film which will be released internationally in the coming months, took 2 years of planning and 4 years of filming to complete. Advanced underwater-breathing equipment which allowed divers to film without expelling air bubbles into the water and new underwater filming technology were employed throughout the filming of the documentary which hopes to set a new standard for nature films. The film features marine life of all kinds, including footage of cage-less human and white shark interaction. Oceans also features footage of several other species of sharks including some great whale shark footage and some amazing schooling hammerhead footage.

Disney Nature will be bringing Oceans to the big screen in the U.S. on April 22, 2010.

YouTube user, BubbleheadJace recently posted some of the highest quality whale shark (Rhincodon typus) footage I’ve seen in a long time. The footage was shot in 2009 off Koh Tao, Thailand. The video encourages viewers to visit WhaleShark.org to learn more about whale sharks and how to protect them.

According to various media sources, including The Manila Times, The Philippine Star, and an Associated Press video, a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) was found floating in Manila Bay and later died. As has been the case with another shark story in the news this week, the size of the whale shark varies depending on the source, although the general range seems to be between 14′-18′ (4.25m-5.5m). According to the Philippine, the animal will be buried, by officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, in Pangasinan. The cause of death of the animal has not yet been determined.