Whale shark, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia Sep 4, 2023

Say hello to the largest fish in the world, the whale shark. These gentle giants are not related to whales, despite their impressive size of an average 12 metres in length. Whale sharks are calm creatures that are usually safe for divers to swim alongside. These sharks are filter feeders and consume plankton and small fish by sieving them through their gill plates. There has been a significant decline in their populations, with an estimated 63% decrease in their numbers in the last 75 years. Threats include being hit by boats or tangled in fishing gear and their habitats are being damaged by pollution, coastal development and over-fishing. Advocates work through education and community engagement to help safeguard whale sharks and preserve our oceans.

© Jason Edwards/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

The Riviera of India
Sep 4, 2024Dusky eagle-owls, Pakistan
Sep 4, 2025Grizzly bears, Katmai National Park and Preserve, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Colours of spring
Dec 20, 2025Christmas star lanterns, Germany
Jun 12, 2025Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Texas, United States
Dec 6, 2025Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
On the open ocean road
Stunning symmetry
Feb 9, 2026Amur leopard cat, Russia
Widespread and long-eared
Sep 18, 2025Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
Mar 13, 2025Marine iguanas, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Sep 18, 2024Gujō Hachiman Castle, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
Dec 26, 2023Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh, India
Nature’s blue wonder
Jan 18, 2025Dunes at White Sands National Park, New Mexico, United States
Feb 25, 2026Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, United States
May 30, 2025Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, United States
Jul 29, 2025International Tiger Day
Jul 12, 2024Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, USA
Jun 24, 2024Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
Sway with the Amazonian canopy
The pillar of democracy
Gateway to Latin America
Jan 28, 2025Short-eared owl
Feb 20, 2026Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park, California, United States
Sep 21, 2025Sea otters, Prince William Sound, Alaska, United States
Natures boost fruit
Jan 1, 2025Happy New Year!
Nothing says ‘San Francisco’ quite like...
Nov 11, 2024Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Where are these birds headed?