Whale shark Aug 30, 2024

Whale sharks have been around for more than 240 million years, but the first specimen was discovered off the coast of South Africa in the 1820s. As the world"s largest fish, these gentle giants can grow up to 12 metres, with one reaching a record 18.8 metres. Found in tropical oceans around the world, these filter feeders glide through the water, mouth wide open, straining plankton and small fish. Each pattern on their dotted, starry skin is as unique as a human fingerprint. Sadly, the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists whale sharks as endangered due to overfishing, habitat loss and climate change. Amid adversity, there"s hope, like in Cenderawasih Bay in Indonesia, a whale shark oasis that"s pictured here. Here, these titans dine on the generosity of fishermen who feed them baitfish for luck, reflecting a unique bond between man and marine life.

© Andy Lerner/Tandem Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Aug 30, 2023Whale shark, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Aug 30, 2025Whale shark

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar 18, 2024Elephant Rock, Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia
May 2, 2025Striated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, Brazil
Mar 23, 2025Lightning and storm clouds at sunset near Bowman, Nebraska, United States
Jan 1, 2026Arctic fox
Apr 9, 2024Tulip fields in spring, Skagit Valley, Washington, USA
Dec 9, 2023Guanacos, Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
Dec 4, 2023Cheetah and her cubs
Apr 2, 2025Sandstone formations in the badlands near Caineville, Utah, United States
Dec 4, 2025Cheetah in Maasai Mara
Oct 25, 2024Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France
Oct 1, 2023Lake Bled, Slovenia
Oct 20, 2025Hoffmanns two-toed sloth
Apr 21, 2024Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Jul 23, 2024Methoni Castle, Messinia, Greece
Oct 29, 2024Great horned owl
Mar 2, 2024Modica, Sicily, Italy
Jan 29, 2025Prioro, Castile and León, Spain
Jul 13, 2025Basalt columns in Kálfshamarsvík cove, Skagi peninsula, Iceland
Mar 28, 2026African buffalo, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Jul 9, 2024Talampaya National Park, Argentina
Sep 3, 2023Skyscrapers in Manhattan
Aug 22, 2024Ocean City, Maryland, USA
Oct 21, 2024Cypress trees in George L. Smith State Park, Georgia, United States
May 23, 2025Yellow-spotted river turtle, Amazon Region, Ecuador
Oct 9, 2023Fremont petroglyphs, Dinosaur National Monument, Utah, USA
Mar 28, 2025Black-naped monarch
Apr 9, 2026Sgwd yr Eira waterfall, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Wales
Mar 26, 2024Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
Aug 6, 2025Ring-tailed lemur
Feb 10, 2025Art Installation of umbrellas, London, England