Whale sharks are the world’s biggest fish, and vanishing at an unprecedented rate like most shark species. Yet they are fascinating creatures that hold many secrets still. Following an unexpected encounter with a whale shark back in 2014, I started studying whale sharks in Madagascar in 2015. A few years later, thanks to local operators, my team has identified more than 400 juvenile whale sharks off North-Western Madagascar, which have never been observed anywhere else in the world. At the same time, the Madagascar Whale Shark Project is also leading expeditions, working with communities to raise awareness, and establishing best-practise guidelines to ensure whale sharks continue to use the area.
