A LITTLE WILDLIFE PERSPECTIVE
How big is a whale shark?
Compare your height to a whale shark.
Many observed whale sharks measure 6–12 m (20–39 ft) long. This horizontal example is scaled to 10 m from nose to tail.
A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE
Whale shark
next to the average.
Average U.S. adults, side by side.
Side view · example 10 m long adult
- Average man (U.S.)5 ft 8.9 in
- Whale shark11 ft 1.3 in
- Average woman (U.S.)5 ft 3.5 in
How do you measure up?
Enter your height to stand beside a whale shark.
Side by side
- Whale shark11 ft 1.3 in
- Your placeAdd your height
The animal is an example adult in the pose shown. Its full outline is scaled to 338.6 cm vertically. Side view · example 10 m long adult. Shoulder height and body length are explained below.
Where do you stand?
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GET TO KNOW THE ANIMAL
Small facts. Big discoveries.
Whale shark · Rhincodon typus
The whale shark is a fish, despite its name. Its broad mouth filters small food from the water, making the largest living fish a plankton eater.
Whale sharks inhabit tropical and warm temperate seas. Their diet includes plankton, small crustaceans, and schooling fish. Individual spot patterns help researchers recognize the same animal on different visits.
- Whale sharks breathe through gills rather than surfacing for air.
- They can feed in coastal waters as well as the open ocean.
How big do adults get?
- Male
- Usually smaller than females
- Female
- Usually larger than males
The 6–12 m guide is a commonly observed length range, not a maximum or a separate range for each sex. The vertical outline includes the fins and tail.
Height, length, or weight?
Standing height runs from the ground to the top of the animal. Shoulder height stops at the top of the shoulders. Length runs along the body; it is not how tall an animal stands. Weight tells us how heavy it is.
Explore the science: Aquarium of the Pacific ↗