Texas fishermen film encounter with 35-foot whale shark

Zach Loper and Jimmy Limon, residents of the San Antonio area, were fishing near Corpus Christi when a whale shark, estimated to be between 25 and 35 feet long, approached their boat. The encounter, captured on video, lasted about 80 seconds.

Loper described seeing a large fin emerge from the water, initially mistaking it for a tiger shark before recognizing the whale shark's size and distinctive spots. "It was almost like it was saying, 'Hey, let me see you. What are you guys doing?'" Loper recounted of the animal's behavior.

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It was almost like it was saying, 'Hey, let me see you. What are you guys doing?'

While whale sharks can be found in the northern Gulf of Mexico during summer and fall, close encounters like this are rare. Loper, an experienced angler, had been hoping to see one for years. The WWF notes that whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean, feed on plankton and inhabit tropical waters worldwide. They are recognizable by their dark skin covered in light lines and white spots.

The species faces threats from directed fishing, bycatch, and unregulated tourism, which can interfere with feeding or cause injury. Despite their immense size, whale sharks are not dangerous to humans.

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It was longer than the boat.