Rare encounter off Aussie coast leaves locals and tourists in awe: 'So excited'
The gentle giants are most often seen in WA's Ningaloo Reef where they're known to aggregate and rarely around Queensland.
Tourists visiting one of Australia's prime marine locations were recently greeted by a rare sight while sailing off the coast, and while it was "very quick" the magical encounter left them in awe.
Passengers aboard a a scuba diving tour boat, operated by Divers Den in Cairns, came within metres of an incredible whale shark — the world's largest living fish. According to Melissa Alps, the company's co-ordinator, a sight this close to Cairns was "quite rare".
While whale sharks commonly live in tropical waters, the gentle giants are most often seen in WA's Ningaloo Reef where they're known to aggregate — and not often around Queensland. There, peak whale shark season typically starts in March and runs through to the end of July, where they are spotted almost on a daily basis — however, by now, they're seen in far fewer numbers.
Previously, a woman told Yahoo News Australia about her experience with one at South Stradbroke Island, Queensland. "We were in shock... it's super rare," she said.
Onlookers 'so excited' by 'rare beauty' at Great Barrier Reef
Posting a video of the encounter on social media the tour company described the animal as a "rare beauty" — and while rare, the crew reported seeing it two days in a row in the Norman Reef area.
"The first sighting of the whale shark on Saturday was underwater by one of the dive instructors Jonathan, the group of certified divers he was guiding, and two of the Divemaster trainees,” Alps said, the Cairns Post reported.
"The second sighting on Sunday was seen by a lot of the guests and crew onboard AquaQuest. It was lunch time, so no one was in the water, unfortunately."
She said, "the crew and the customers were so excited to see the whale shark as this is a rare sighting on the Great Barrier Reef". Meanwhile, others on Facebook said it was "amazing".
Researchers warn of hidden danger in shark swimming tourism craze
Aussie photographer's rare encounter with 'absolute monster' in forest
Swimming with whale sharks poses no 'real risk'
Whale sharks can grow to 18 meters, a weight of 34 tonnes and may live for 100 years. Despite their size, they're often referred to as gentle giants. Snorkellers swim with these giant fish without real risk, apart from the chance of an unintentional blow from the shark's large tail fin, according to WA Fisheries.
They can be found swimming close to shore, feeding in waters of less than 80 meters deep, the Australian Institute of Marine Science said. And they're a growing drawcard for tourists.
This week, a chuffed swimmer recounted his magical experience with one at Ningaloo Blue, describing it as "the best day ever". Incredible photos shared on Facebook show his close proximity to the shark.
While common in this area, whale shark numbers are dwindling in general, in part due to accidentally being caught by fishing vessels. Sadly the species is now considered vulnerable.
Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the week’s best stories.
