International Whale Shark Day Aug 30, 2023

International Whale Shark Day

Say hello to the largest fish in the world, the whale shark. On August 30, we celebrate International Whale Shark Day to honor these magnificent marine creatures. These gentle giants are not related to whales, despite their impressive size—they can reach up to 40 feet in length. Whale sharks are calm creatures which 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

How sweet to be a star, floating in the blue.
31 Aug 2024Rocks and sand in the Sahara, Algeria
31 Aug 2025Scotts Bluff National Monument, Gering, Nebraska, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

25 Jun 2025Glastonbury Festival begins
A salty situation
10 Aug 2025World Lion Day
24 Mar 2025Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
A postcard-perfect landscape
16 Jan 2025Pinnacles National Park, California, United States
26 May 2025Baobab trees, Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
15 Jul 2024Marine Day, Japan
1 Jun 2025World Reef Awareness Day
20 Jun 2024Summer solstice
31 Mar 2026Paradise Cave, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam
Aug 30, 2023International Whale Shark Day
Close to the wind
26 Sep 2023Venice Skatepark, Los Angeles, California
31 Oct 2025Happy Halloween!
1 Mar 2024Saint Davids Day
8 Aug 2024Spotted owlet, Bangkok, Thailand
18 Mar 2025Red rock formations, Sedona, Arizona, United States
31 Jul 2024Hoodoos, Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
13 Oct 2025Starling murmuration over the ruins of Brightons West Pier, England
6 Dec 2025Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
26 Nov 2024Celebrating World Olive Tree Day
Best views tower
6 Jan 2025Flooded crypt, Basilica of San Francesco, Ravenna, Italy
24 Jul 2025Happy Cousins Day!
2 Oct 2025National Poetry Day
20 Feb 2026Horsetail Fall, Yosemite National Park, California, United States
13 Apr 2026International Dark Sky Week
18 Jun 2025Pollinator Week
17 Nov 2023Meon Hill, Gloucestershire