Whale sharks are the world´s biggest fish - Oceanographic
  • Shop
  • News
  • Stories
  • Podcast
  • Spotlight
  • Storyteller in Residence
  • Ocean Photographer of the Year
  • LOG IN
  • Search
OG_newissueCOVER_master_DIGITAL_newsize_43
  • Sir David's 'OCEAN'
  • Dive in
Oceanographic Logo
  • Conservation
  • Adventure
  • Exploration
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Magazine
  • Read
    • Stories
    • News
    • Storyteller in residence
    • Spotlight
  • Listen
  • Shop
  • Ocean Photographer of the Year
Whale sharks are the world´s biggest fish
prev btn next btn
In fact, they're the largest cold-blooded animal. Some truly gigantic whale sharks have been documented in fisheries. One, caught off Taiwan, was 20 metres long and weighed 34 tons. Another shark from the same area weighed 42 tons, though its length apparently wasn’t recorded. An 18.8-metre whale shark was landed in India, too. Based on the fossil record, whale sharks are likely to be the biggest fish to have ever lived. Megalodon, a huge, extinct whale-munching predatory shark famous for battling Jason Statham, is thought to have reached around 18 metres. The largest-discovered remains of a plankton-feeding Jurassic bony fish, Leedsichthys problematicus, indicate a maximum length of around 16.5 metres.
Share
See the source
Ocean Hub

More than a magazine subscription

Log in

Enter your password

Please enter your Oceanographic password for

Forgotten your password?

or use one of these options

[miniorange_social_login shape="square" theme="default" space="4" size="35"]

Not yet a subscriber?

Join today

By signing in or creating an account, you agree with out Terms & conditions and Privacy statement

Newsletter

Receive the latest from Oceanographic and get 10% off your first order.

footer Photographer logo
  • Home page
  • OPY
  • Stories
  • Magazine
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Shop
  • News
  • Faqs
  • Legal
  • Read for free
  • Stockists

Copyright © 2025 CXD MEDIA LTD.

All rights reserved

Enjoy 30% off your first year when joining as an annual digital subscriber!

Subscribe