Whale Sharks Trivia: Amazing Facts About the Ocean’s Largest Fish

How well do you know the whale shark? Scroll below to try out our Whale Shark Trivia Game. The question will be listed before the picture and the answer after the picture. If you take a few minutes to read the whale shark bio below, you will have better luck answering the whale shark trivia questions below. Please comment in the comment section if you have your own shark trivia questions to share with us and our readers.

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest known extant fish species in the world. It is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark. Its common name, “whale shark”, comes from its size, being as large as some species of whales and also because it is a filter feeder like baleen whales.

Whale sharks are found in open waters of the tropical oceans and are rarely found in water below 21 °C (70 °F). Despite their large size, whale sharks are gentle and often allow swimmers to hitch a ride. They are listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), mainly due to being hunted in some areas for their fins and meat.

Question 1: What is the approximate maximum length that a whale shark can reach?

Answer 1: Up to 40 feet (12 meters).

Question 2: What do whale sharks primarily feed on?

Answer 2: Plankton and small fish.

Question 3: Are whale sharks dangerous to humans?

Answer 3: No, they are not dangerous to humans. They are gentle and often allow swimmers to hitch a ride.

Question 4: What is the conservation status of the whale shark?

Answer 4: They are listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Question 5: True or false: Whale sharks give birth to live young.

Answer 5: True. They are ovoviviparous, meaning the eggs remain in the body and the females give birth to live young.

Question 6: Approximately how many teeth does a whale shark have?

Answer 6: About 3,000 teeth, but they are tiny and not used for feeding.

Question 7: Which oceans can you find whale sharks in?

Answer 7: Whale sharks can be found in all tropical and warm-temperate seas, except the Mediterranean.

Question 8: What unique pattern do whale sharks have on their skin?

Answer 8: Whale sharks have a unique pattern of white spots and strip

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Shark Trivia

Now that you have mastered all the shark trivia questions about the Tiger Sharks. Try your luck below to see how well you know sharks and the different types of sharks in the wild.