Lidiko News

A Whale Shark beached at St Lucia
Posted by Administrator (lidiko) on Aug 07 2007 at 4:24 PM
Lidiko News >> General News

Below is a photo of an adolescent 4,5 metre Whale Shark that washed ashore approximately 1.2 km north of the St Lucia swimming beach.  These whale feed exclusively on small food like plankton and pelagic fish.  Their mouths can be up to 1,5 metres wide.  Although docile they have been known to attack fishing boats.  However only when the angler is fighting a large fish like a tuna (MM Smith - Sea Fishes of Southern Africa).  They are common off Northern Kwa Zulu Natal and Mozambique.  They in fact occur in all tropical and subtropical waters, both in shore and deep ocean waters.  The species was first identified in April 1828 following with the harpooning of the 4.6 metre specimen in Table View, South Africa.  It was described the following year by Andrew Smith , a military doctor associated with British Troops stationed in Cape Town.  Research indicates that these sharks can reach lenghts of up to 19 metres!  However unofficial reports have indicated that Whale Sharks have been measured in excess of 23 metres, which would make them heavier than many of the migratory Humpback Whales, that are currently found of the St Lucia Coast.

At the time of the photograpgh no autopsy had been done.  Neither were there any major visible physical damage or injuries.  Although there were fairly large krill or shrimp like deposits along the shoreline, deposited by the large tide.  This could have been a possible reason for this beaching.  The Whale Shark may have been to close inshore and due to inexperience got stranded while feeding to close in shore.

(Item written by Kian Barker of Shaka Barker Tours operating in St Lucia).