Whale shark, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia Sep 4, 2023

Say hello to the largest fish in the world, the whale shark. These gentle giants are not related to whales, despite their impressive size of an average 12 metres in length. Whale sharks are calm creatures that 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

The Riviera of India
Sep 4, 2024Dusky eagle-owls, Pakistan
Sep 4, 2025Grizzly bears, Katmai National Park and Preserve, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Pick your paradise
Oct 15, 2025Amethyst laccaria mushrooms, Seabeck, Washington, United States
Dec 14, 2023Boreal owl
Your TEA comes from here!
What the heck is a distaff?
Go fly a kite!
Sep 17, 2025A young bull moose
Mar 26, 2025Manatee in Crystal River, Florida, United States
Oct 25, 2025Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
Sep 24, 2023World Rivers Day
Mar 8, 2025International Womens Day
Jul 20, 2025Moon Day
Nov 22, 2025Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China
Jan 26, 2026Republic Day
When being in a rut is OK
Mar 26, 2024Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
Jan 30, 2024Martyrs’ Day
Oct 30, 2025Pushkar Camel Fair
Jul 23, 2024Methoni Castle, Messinia, Greece
Jun 21, 2025International Day of Yoga
Oct 7, 2025Fall colours below Mount Sneffels near Ridgway, Colorado, United States
Sep 4, 2025Grizzly bears, Katmai National Park and Preserve, United States
Aug 14, 2025Cable car station on Piz Nair mountain, Graubünden, Switzerland
Feb 16, 2026Banff, Alberta, Canada
Oct 20, 2025Hoffmanns two-toed sloth, Ecuador
Let the Great Backyard Bird Count begin!
Stunning symmetry
Preserving Alaskas natural beauty
Apr 27, 2025Coastal redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks, California, United States
Creating a better world