International Whale Shark Day: Wildlife Trust of India launches campaign to sensitise fishers along southwest coast

Source: The post is based on the article “International Whale Shark Day: Wildlife Trust of India launches campaign to sensitise fishers along southwest coast” published in Down To Earth on 1st September 2022.

What is the News?

Wildlife Trust of India(WTI) has launched the ‘Save the Whale Shark Campaign’ along Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep.

What is the Save the Whale Shark Campaign?

Launched by: Wildlife Trust of India(WTI) along with Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep.

Aim: To reduce and eradicate whale shark death in the incidental catch in fishing nets by the voluntary release of the whale shark.

What is a Whale Shark?

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest fish on Earth and a keystone species in marine ecosystems. 

Features: It can grow to a length of approximately 18 metres and weigh as much as 21 tonnes.

– They are ovoviviparous – meaning they give birth to live young rather than lay eggs – and can reach sexual maturity at around 10 years old.

Distribution: It is distributed widely across tropical and warm temperate seas.

– The whale shark is distributed all along the Indian coast. However, the largest whale shark aggregation is along the Gujarat coast.

Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

IUCN Red List: Endangered.

Threat: The main threat is accidental entanglement in fishing nets. This can result in mortality.

– The only way to curb such mortality is to ensure the release of the entangled whale sharks from the fishing net without any delay.