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What is the News?
A female whale shark died after getting trapped in a fishing net off Odisha’s Paradip coast.
Whale Shark:
- Whale Shark(Rhincodon typus) is the largest known extant fish species.
- Features: Whale Sharks are a ‘filter feeder shark’ which means it does not eat meat like other sharks. They filter seawater and feed on tiny planktons.
- Habitat: The whale shark is found in open waters of the tropical oceans and is rarely found in water below 21 °C (70 °F). In India, they are mostly found in the Gulf of Mannar and Gujarat coast.
Conservation Status:
- IUCN Red List: Endangered
- CITES: Appendix II
- Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
Threats:
- Oil & gas drilling, shipping lanes
- Accidental entanglement in fishing nets
