International Whale Shark Day Aug. 30, 2023

Say hello to the largest fish in the world, the whale shark. On August 30, we celebrate International Whale Shark Day to honour these magnificent marine creatures. These gentle giants are not related to whales, despite their impressive size of an average of 12 metres in length. Whale sharks are calm creatures which are usually safe for divers to swim alongside. These sharks are filter feeders and consume plankton and small fish by sieving them through their gill plates. There has been a significant decline in their populations, with an estimated 63% decrease in their numbers in the last 75 years. Threats include being hit by boats or tangled in fishing gear, and their habitats are being damaged by pollution, coastal development, and over-fishing. Advocates work through education and community engagement to help safeguard whale sharks and preserve our oceans.

© Jason Edwards/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

There’s more to Pisa than leaning towers
Aug. 30, 2024International Whale Shark Day
Aug. 30, 2025International Whale Shark Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

King of the jungle? Nope
Apr. 3, 2025Rufous hummingbird
An archaelogical treasure
Apr. 8, 2025Paro Tsechu Festival, Bhutan
More of a moustache than a beard?
Jun. 17, 2025Maritime forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States
Jun. 11, 2025Greater flamingos, Lüderitz, Namibia
Nov. 7, 2024Vancouver Coastal Sea wolves in the Great Bear Rainforest
Jun. 15, 2024International Surfing Day
May 3, 2024The Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA
Dec. 12, 2025Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Vancouver, British Columbia
Apr. 27, 2024Leucistic Annas Hummingbird, California, USA
Stretching out in the Everglades
Jan. 2, 2026Aerial view of Venice, Italy
Nothing says ‘San Francisco’ quite like...
Feb. 9, 2025Alstrom Point, Lake Powell, Utah, United States
Sep. 3, 2024Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington, United States
Jul. 26, 2025International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem
The rivers run through us
Jun. 24, 2025Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Aug. 30, 2023International Whale Shark Day
Oct. 7, 2023Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA
An oasis in the desert
Where is this ethereal mountain?
A temple to treasure
Apr. 22, 2025Earth Day
Sep. 18, 2025Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
An ocean of stars above the desert
Nature at its colourful best
Oct. 7, 2025Fall colours below Mount Sneffels near Ridgway, Colorado, United States