KOTA KINABALU: A mid-size whale shark has been detected in Pulau Sapi, off the town’s coast on Sunday (Feb 13).
The shark, identified regionally as “Buding”, was believed to have been recorded by a boatman who was ferrying guests to the island in the morning.
The common measurement of a whale shark is about 12m lengthy and weighs 14 tonnes, with some bigger specimens about 18m.
Sabah Parks director Maklarin Lakim mentioned whale sharks pose no risk to divers as they don’t seem to be carnivorous.
“They feed on plankton,” he mentioned, including whale sharks will not be whales or mammals however are the most important fish species in the world.
He urged the general public to not harm or disturb whale sharks in the event that they spot them.
Meanwhile, former Sabah Parks director Datuk Dr Jamili Nais mentioned whale sharks have been usually seen in waters off Sabah, extra usually in northern areas like Kudat.
“It is normal to see the species in Sabah waters,” he mentioned.
The whale shark is the mascot for the Tun Mustapha Marine Park in Kudat.
