You may think a whale shark is classified as a whale, or maybe even a shark. But the truth is, they are neither. This 60-foot-long animal is classified as a fish and is the largest of all fish. They can live up to 100-150 years and are the gentle giants of the sea. On their backs, they have a unique spot or checkered pattern that can be used to identify each fish. They live in tropical and warm waters and often migrate to eat. They are also considered filter eaters. They eat plankton, krill, fish eggs, and filter about 1,500 gallons of water per hour.   

Another interesting aspect of whale sharks is related to their teeth. A fun fact about whale sharks is that they have thousands of teeth, over 300 rows of tiny teeth in their mouths, and they even have teeth on their eyes. They use their teeth on their eyes for protection against potential damage.   

These animals are also unfortunately endangered, with their population declining by 50-75%. Major threats to whale sharks are that their faces are being tangled in fishing nets, they are being caught in collisions with ships, and they are being caught in illegal fishing. They have few predators, but the predators they do have are orcas and sometimes large sharks. The way to help save these animals from being endangered is by enforcing international trade bans on shark products, creating marine protected areas, and educating the public to support sustainable ecotourism.