4ocean Bali crews encountered this whale shark in an area heavily polluted by plastic
THREATS
Why whale sharks are disappearing from our oceans
Overfishing and microplastic pollution are the two biggest threats driving this endangered species toward extinction.

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.
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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
Shop All ProductsTired of plastic polluting our oceans? Join the Clean Ocean Club and double your impact!
Join the ClubDirectly fund the removal of trash from the ocean without purchasing any products
Pull a Pound+Help clean out our inventory so we can do more to clean the ocean with 40% OFF clearance
Shop ClearanceSPREAD 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.