Western Australia Whale Shark Swim Season Open

Courtesy Image Tourism Australia

The Western Australian Whale Shark season is open. The first Whale Sharks were sighted and reported. This year is a special year for the Western Australia Ningaloo Reef as it celebrates the first year since it was declared UNESCO Heritage site.

Over 19.3 thousand international visitors are expected to witness and swim with a population of estimated 500 whale sharks in the protected heritage location. For the large Whale Shark populations the passing through Western Australia is a millenary issue. Swimming with Whale Sharks in Western Australia is a privilege which few can experience and an opportunity for conservation and management.

The Western Australia Ningaloo Coast spans over 604.5 thousand marine hectares. Financial Express reported on March 3rd that the season will be “huge”. The area was declared World Heritage in 2014. Getting up close with tje gentle giants of the ocean allows for observation of the migration patterns in which the specie embarks yearly from March to August. Why they are there? To feed on plankton and krill.

Lonely Planet reported on the first sightings of Whale Sharks individuals in the area and the start of the season. Only authorized tourism operators are allowed to offer visitors tours and “swim with giants” opportunities.

On June 24th the World Heritage Committee inscribed Australia's Ningaloo Coast on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

“The 604,500 hectare marine and terrestrial property of Ningaloo Coast , on the remote western coast of Australia, includes one of the longest near-shore reefs in the world. Annual gatherings of Whale Sharks occur at Ningaloo Coast, which is home to numerous marine species, among them a wealth of sea turtles,” UNESCO highlighted.

The organization stressed the ecological network that supports a variety of rare “species that contribute to the exceptional biodiversity of the marine and terrestrial site”.

The area was chosen among 35 nominated candidate areas for its “Outstanding Universal Value”.

Today swimming with ocean giants such as Whale Sharks has become common. Just a few decades ago the possibility for international tourists, visitors and interested to flock in great numbers to swim with ocean giants in their migrating coastal season was beyond the wildest imagination and dreams. From Mexico, to Maldives to Australia and other regions, protected areas now offer professional services which allow for these type of operations to take place without interfering with the species nor the environment. Actually the seasons are aiding in the economic development through eco-tourism economy.

In Western Australia last estimates set population of Whale Sharks ranging from 300 to 500. This season will allow for new counts and monitoring of individuals. Astonishingly and probably not by chance Whale Sharks congregate in the area synchronically coinciding with the mass coral spawning events and increases in ecological productivity.

The rich marine and coastal terrestrial geological characteristics of Western Australia bathe the ocean waters in rich nutrients. Intertidal systems, weather and ocean dynamics contribute in turn to the proper bio-energy mix up.

The most dominant marine habitat is the Ningaloo reef, which sustains both tropical and temperate marine fauna and flora, including marine reptiles and mammals.

“Ningaloo Marine Park’s nutrient rich waters are considered one of the best places to swim with whale sharks due to reliability of numbers and accessibility to interact with the leviathans of the ocean. At 300 kilometres long, World Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef is the world’s largest fringing reef. Visitors can walk straight off the beach and snorkel in the underwater wonderland swarming with brilliant coloured coral, manta rays, sea turtles and more than 500 species of tropical fish,” Australian reported.

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