As the whale shark season draws to a later than usual close at Western Australia's Ningaloo Reef, experts and tour operators warn the animals face an increasingly perilous journey ahead.
Hundreds of whale sharks visit Western Australia's Ningaloo Reef annually, with as many as 60 sighted in a single day during the peak feeding period.
Dr Norman says, while researchers are beginning to understand whale shark migration, the animals' laundry list of destinations offers an indication that things are not straightforward."The deepest we've recorded a whale shark is almost 2,000 metres and they can spend months down at a time. "I have so many people come in and go, 'Oh my God, I never knew that they would still be here this late,'" she said.Experts say there could be several reasons why whale sharks are sticking around Ningaloo Reef.
Whale sharks are especially attuned to sea surface temperatures and prefer a narrow band of tropical waters, venturing only slightly warmer in environments rich with food like Ningaloo Reef., co-author Ana Sequeira found rising ocean temperatures were pushing whale shark migration routes toward cooler waters, with an average displacement of 12km each year.
"Whale sharks are just one of those key species that do come in and stay longer in Ningaloo, likely in association with how the temperatures are going in that particular region," she said.There is no shortage of other dangers which threaten whale sharks during their months-long migration away from Ningaloo Reef.
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