Research

Despite being the biggest fish in the sea, questions about the whale shark’s biology and ecology remain unanswered. ECOCEAN’s aim is to join the dots and solve the mysteries of this unique and endangered species.

Some of the questions we would like to answer:

• How many whale sharks visit the Ningaloo Coast every year?
• Where and how often do whale sharks mate and give birth?
• How fast do whale sharks grow?
• How long do whale sharks live?
• Where are the critical feeding habitats for whale sharks?
• Are whale sharks from Ningaloo at risk from hunting and other human activities?
• How will climate change affect whale shark energetics and habitat use?

ECOCEAN uses a variety of techniques to study whale sharks including:

• SATELLITE TAGS
• ACOUSTIC TAGS
• DAILY DIARIES
• ON-ANIMAL VIDEO CAMERAS
• UAVs (drones)
• GENOMICS

Our Research Findings

ECOCEAN’s research has revealed valuable information about the whale sharks at Ningaloo and elsewhere, and contributed to global collaborative efforts to understand and conserve this iconic species.

Click here to see some of our most important scientific publications