Caption: A screengrab of the whale shark spotted in Chaguaramas on Saturday

 

By Alicia Chamely

A whale shark that came dangerously close to being stranded on a small beach in Chaguaramas is now safe back at sea.

Employee’s and guests at Peake’s Yachting Services were left stunned on Saturday morning when they noticed an unusual visitor just metres away from the marina’s shore.

Seen in videos circulating on social media, a whale shark had found its way into the shallow waters of the marina.

The whale shark could be seen manoeuvring its large grey and white spotted body 180 degrees in efforts to swim back out to sea.

Dr Wade Seukeran, a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Marine Mammal Stranding Network, explained to AZP News while he was not in the area, the Network had been notified that the whale shark had been able to get back into the ocean and no response for the team was needed.

Dr Seukeran said it should be noted whale sharks are not mammals and fall into the classification of fish.

Whale sharks are the largest of all fish species, with the largest recorded whale shark measuring 18.8 meters.

According to the University of the West Indies’ Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago, whale sharks are found in the warm waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.  They are highly migratory, with their movement depending on food supply.

Whale sharks consume plankton, squid and small fish. They are not considered a danger to humans.

Sightings of whale sharks in the waters of T&T have been recorded but are rare.