Whale shark sightings don't yet prove a permanent Red Sea habitat, scientist says

Repeated whale shark sightings in the Red Sea are worth studying but are not on their own enough to say the area has become a permanent home for the species, Dr Ahmed Wahballah, director of the Institute of Marine Sciences, told Sada El Balad. Reaching that conclusion, he said, would need extended scientific data showing the animal's movement patterns and the seasons in which it appears.

The shark that divers and fishermen know as "Bahloul" returned to attention after being recorded in the Giftun area between Magawish and Abu Ramada, during a marine patrol monitoring and protecting marine life.

Wahballah describes the whale shark as the largest known fish in the world, reaching some 12 metres in length and sometimes more than 20 tonnes in weight. It feeds by filtering water for plankton and small marine organisms and is not by nature a danger to people.

That size does not make close approach harmless, for the swimmer or for the animal. Chasing it with boats, trying to touch its body or cutting across its path for a close photograph all run against the rules of responsible behaviour around marine life.

The watching rules

Guidance attributed to the Red Sea protected areas says not to touch, chase or surround the shark with boats, not to swim in front of it or cut across its course, and to avoid using flash or making movements that may disturb it. The instructions in this case include:

• Keeping at least three metres from the front of the fish and four metres behind it
• Following the directions of marine reserve officials and dive centres
• Not crowding around the animal or trying to keep it in one place

Sightings have been recorded at several points along the Red Sea, among them Hurghada, Safaga and Marsa Alam, which gives researchers a chance to gather information on the animal's movements and the conditions in which it appears.

Dr Mahmoud Dar, a former director of the Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries in Hurghada, says protecting the species does not stop at banning hunting or direct harm. It also means limiting pollution, preserving the natural environment the animal depends on, and spreading awareness among people working in marine activities, among tourists and among divers.

Tourism expert Essam Ali says whale shark watching is an opportunity to strengthen ecotourism on the Red Sea, but places a direct responsibility on trip organisers and dive centres to deliver a safe experience built on awareness and compliance rather than on pursuing marine animals or approaching them too closely. That includes training marine guides in how to handle sensitive species, briefing tourists before trips begin, and encouraging sightings to be documented and reported so that scientific research can use them.