Scientists confirm discovery of baby whale shark in Saleh Bay

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Mataram (ANTARA) – Scientists have confirmed the discovery of a newborn whale shark measuring approximately 135 to 145 centimeters in the waters of Saleh Bay, north of Sumbawa Island, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

“Scientifically, this is a very strong signal and indicates that Saleh Bay likely serves an ecological function as a birthing and nursery area for whale shark pups,” said Mochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra, Senior Manager of Konservasi Indonesia (KI), in a statement in Mataram, on Tuesday.

The discovery of a whale shark pup living in the wild was announced in the journal Diversity and positions Saleh Bay as one of the strongest candidates for a whale shark nursery in the world.

The discovery also opens the possibility of unraveling one of the greatest mysteries in marine biology: where whale sharks give birth.

The whale shark, scientifically named Rhincodon typus, is the largest fish in the world. However, ironically, the earliest stages of the plankton-eating fish’s life have rarely been observed.

Putra stated that currently, there is no scientifically confirmed birthing location or pupping ground for whale sharks in the world.

He added that in more than a century of research, only 33 global sightings of whale shark pups measuring under 1.5 meters have been recorded.

Most of the sightings were the result of brief observation, without adequate visual documentation, and did not occur repeatedly in a single location.

Scientists stated that a different situation was observed in Saleh Bay. From August to September 2024, local fishermen reported seeing at least five sightings of small whale sharks measuring 1.2 to 1.5 meters around the fishing nets.

One pup was even accidentally caught in a net before being released back into the sea. The pup was contained within a Styrofoam box filled with seawater, allowing fishermen to accurately estimate its size using visual analysis based on a comparison object.

With the box’s dimensions of 120 x 42 x 32 centimeters, scientists estimate the total length of the pup to be around 135 to 145 centimeters.

Using Chang et al. (1997) growth curve showing neonatal whale sharks growing from 60 to nearly 140 centimeters in about 120 days, the size of the newborn whale shark in Saleh Bay suggests it is roughly four months old.

The whale shark pup, approximately 120 days old, is still in a very early stage of life and is rarely observed in the wild.

“If proven to be the birthing site, Saleh Bay will be the first location in the world to be definitely identified,” Putra concluded.

Scientists confirm discovery of baby whale shark in Saleh Bay

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