Whale sharks inhabit warm, tropical and near-tropical seas around the world. They are predominantly pelagic, meaning they live in open ocean waters, but they are frequently seen along coastlines, in lagoons, bays, and near coral reefs where plankton—their main food source—is abundant. Their distribution is circumtropical, spanning the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans, with regular seasonal aggregations at certain coastal feeding sites.

Key habitats and patterns

• Global reach: Found in warm waters from roughly 30°N to 35°S, across major oceans, including regions off India, the Philippines, the Maldives, Mexico’s Yucatán, Tanzania, Mozambique, Australia’s Ningaloo Coast, and many other tropical locales. They can occasionally be sighted in warmer temperate areas, but cold waters are generally unsuitable for year-round residence.

• Coastal and offshore mix: While often offshore and near the surface, whale sharks frequently frequent inshore waters associated with lagoons, bays, and reef systems, especially during plankton blooms or seasonal feeding events.

• Feeding-driven movements: Their movements are strongly linked to plankton abundance and oceanographic conditions (upwellings, nutrient-rich currents), leading to seasonal aggregations at certain hotspots such as parts of the Gulf of Oman, Ningaloo Reef, and other coastal regions.

Notable facts

• They are the largest fish species and are filter feeders that glide with mouths open to concentrate plankton and small nekton from the water column. Despite their size, they are gentle toward divers and pose little threat to humans.

• Sightings and population structure indicate two major groups globally, with a large Indo-Pacific population making up a substantial portion of the total whale shark population.

If you’d like, I can tailor this to a specific region you’re curious about (for example, “where whale sharks are most commonly seen off India vs. off Mexico” or “seasonal hotspots near a particular reef”).