4ocean Bali crews encountered this whale shark in an area heavily polluted by plastic

ABOUT

The biggest fish in the ocean is threatened by the tiniest plastics

Don’t let their name fool you! Despite their enormous size, whale sharks are actually a harmless filter-feeding species of shark. About the size of a school bus with a mouth that’s a meter wide, whale sharks eat by straining small organisms like plankton, schooling fish, and squid from the water.

Whale sharks spend most of their time cruising the open ocean, which means much of their lives remain a mystery. Research on these elusive creatures and their interaction with marine debris is only starting to emerge, but recent findings don’t paint a happy picture for whale sharks.

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THREATS

Why whale sharks are disappearing from our oceans

Overfishing and microplastic pollution are the two biggest threats driving this endangered species toward extinction.

DECLINING POPULATIONS

The world’s whale shark population has decreased by more than half in just 75 years. The Indo-Pacific population has decreased by more than 63% since 1975. The Atlantic population has experienced a slower decline, which is largely due to regulation enforcement, but has still decreased by more than 30% in the same timeframe.

OCEAN PLASTIC

In addition to finding microplastic in their gills and all types of marine debris in their stomachs, researchers have also learned that exposure to the chemical pollutants that are absorbed by ocean plastic can alter whale sharks’ hormones and lead to a variety of health and reproductive issues that hinder population recovery.

OVERFISHING

Despite their endangered status and global conservation efforts, overfishing remains a major ongoing threat to whale sharks, especially those in unregulated areas, because their meat, fins, and oil are highly valued in international markets. Entanglement and bycatch are also potentially fatal threats associated with the commercial fishing industry.

RECOVERY

Responsible ecotourism can help save whale sharks

Whale sharks love to swim in the warmer temperatures found at the surface of the ocean, which means there are unique opportunities for people to get in the water and see these gentle giants up close and personal.

While boat strikes can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries and irresponsible divers can do things that disrupt their feeding habits, ecotourists that follow proper safety precautions and respect the animals’ boundaries can actually help this endangered species recover.

By showing hunting communities that whale sharks are actually worth more alive, they’re able to change their relationship with these animals and become some of their greatest protectors.

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GET THE BRACELET

25% Off Whale Shark Bracelets

BEADED BRACELET

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BRAIDED BRACELET

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2-POUND PACK

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SMALL ACTS ADD UP

4 more ways to help whale sharks


Avoid toiletries and cosmetics that contain microbeads, which are a notorious type of microplastic pollution.

Take steps to reduce your plastic footprint by choosing reusable and sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic.

If you plan a whale shark encounter, choose a responsible ecotourism group that respects their boundaries and follows proper safety measures.

Wear your Whale Shark Bracelets and use them to start conversations that get others involved in the clean ocean movement.

GET INVOLVED

There are many ways to get involved in the clean ocean movement


Purchase any product to pull one pound of trash from the ocean, rivers, and coastlines

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Tired of plastic polluting our oceans? Join the Clean Ocean Club and double your impact!

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Directly fund the removal of trash from the ocean without purchasing any products

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SPREAD THE WORD

There’s always a way to help

We know times are tough for everyone right now, so if you’re unable to pull a pound today, we sure would appreciate it if you could share this page on social media with folks who might be able to do so.

Visibility is key to our mission and anything you can do to help spread awareness will make a huge difference.

Together, we can end the ocean plastic crisis.