The Philippines has emerged as an important habitat for endangered whale sharks, an extensive study based on satellite tracking reveals. 

After the population of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) declined by more than 50 percent, it was upgraded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species in 2016 to “endangered to extinction.” In 1998, the Philippines, in order to save whale sharks, classified them as species under state protection. 

Researchers from Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE), the Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF) and Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) tagged 17 juvenile whale sharks to trace their movements and status of habitats. 

The tracking data revealed the species prefer to remain within Philippine waters, signifying the importance of the archipelago. The movements of whale sharks were studied in Panaon Island, northern Mindanao, and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.

The longest track was from a whale shark originally tagged in Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, which appeared to swim through the Sulu and Bohol Seas and into the Pacific, a journey of over 2,500 km in length.

The study, "Satellite Tracking of Juvenile Whale Sharks in the Sulu and Bohol Seas, the Philippines" published in Journal of Life & Environmental Sciences, says the Sulu and Bohol Seas are essential habitats for whale sharks, with over 500 identified to date in the area.  

The Philippines is the third largest home for whale sharks, which are threatened as a result of mindless fishing. Despite the alarming rate of population decline, there is limited research on the habitat and conservation techniques required to revive whale shark numbers.

“This research highlights the high mobility of whale sharks, even juveniles, and the need for broader scale management and conservation plans for this endangered species," Gonzalo Araujo, lead author of the study, said.

Whale sharks tourism is a significant revenue earner in the Philippines as it attracts more than 182,000 tourists annually. In Donsol, Sorsogon Province has become a favorite hotspot where sharks aggregate seasonally from November to June. Donsol alone receives up to 27,000 tourists every season. 

(Cover Image: A tagged juvenile whale shark swims through the waters of Panaon Island, Southern Leyte. /LAMAVE Photo)