Whale Sharks in the Philippines
Experience swimming with these gentle giants in Donsol, Sorsogon
Whale sharks congregate in the Philippines during December to May each year. Experience diving and swimming near these gentle creatures in a once in a lifetime adventure!
The Philippines serves as homes, nesting or feeding grounds to some of the world’s most spectacular animals. The seas surrounding the archipelago is teeming with marine life and during the months of December to May each year, the shores near Donsol, Sorsogon play host to numerous gentle giants locally known as butanding or the whale sharks.
Butanding Facts
The butanding considered as the biggest fish and is also biggest shark in the world. Despite the name, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are not whales. They are known for their distinctive wide mouths located in front of their heads unlike most sharks. Whale sharks grow to about 20 meters although most specimens observed were commonly within 6-12 meters long and that females are larger than the males just like in other sharks.
Whale sharks grow very slowly and it is estimated that it will take 30 years before females become sexually mature and have long intervals between pregnancies. Females give birth to live newborns and are then left to themselves. Whale sharks feed on plankton, small fish and squid and their migration patterns usually coincide with seasonal plankton blooms or mass coral spawning.
They are typically distributed in all tropical and warm temperate seas. Moreover, they are usually solitary creatures and swim slowly but during December to May, droves of these gentle giants congregate for still unknown reasons. Fishing communities near the area and the local government actively promote these occasions, encouraging ecotourism and thus, visitors can now enjoy swimming with the butanding. The government, through its ecotourism site, offers several helpful guidelines for tourists who wish to visit the area.
Butanding Ecotourism
While whale sharks are generally harmless and indifferent to swimmers, local authorities of Donsol, Sorsogon has established certain guidelines to avoid any mishaps. These include maintaining a certain distance from the whale shark and swimmers are absolutely forbidden to touch the animal.
Interacting with these whale sharks can be an exhilarating adventure and memories can certainly last for a lifetime. This interaction further enhances education regarding environmental and animal conservation as whale sharks are officially listed as specie vulnerable to exploitation and extinction.
The season for the congregation of whale sharks is during December in order to enjoy this experience. Visitors can then ride a bus to Sorsogon upon arrival from the international airport in Manila. The town has several resorts that offer accommodations at reasonable rates. Scuba diving gear and other motorized equipment aren’t permitted as these may disturb the whale sharks. Travelers may then join whale shark watchers in their boats and have to remain alert once a whale shark is spotted.
