Visitors to Cancun can get a close-up view of whale sharks during summer
Updated: Thursday, June 9, 2011 2:02 pm
Travelers will be able to take boat trips to view wide-mouth whale sharks off the coast of Cancun and hear conservation talks about preserving the world's largest fish as part of International Whale Shark Day on August 30.
Whale sharks are prevalent off the waters of the Yucatan Peninsula from May to September. The international day named in their honor began after a 2008 conference brought together 40 countries in an effort to protect the species.
Visitors on a Cancun vacation can arrange to join boat trips by certified tour operators for a close-up view of the sharks. Some excursions allow swimming with the fish for visitors accompanied by trained guides. Although generally considered harmless to humans, touching whale sharks is strictly prohibited.
With mouths that extend as much as five feet, the species can reach about 50 feet in length. They feed on plankton and pass through the Caribbean waters throughout the summer. Last year, the Domino Research Project installed satellite transmitters in 15 whale sharks to trace their path from the shores of Quintana Roo - the Mexican state where Cancun is located - through the Caribbean Sea.
Whale sharks are prevalent off the waters of the Yucatan Peninsula from May to September. The international day named in their honor began after a 2008 conference brought together 40 countries in an effort to protect the species.
Visitors on a Cancun vacation can arrange to join boat trips by certified tour operators for a close-up view of the sharks. Some excursions allow swimming with the fish for visitors accompanied by trained guides. Although generally considered harmless to humans, touching whale sharks is strictly prohibited.
With mouths that extend as much as five feet, the species can reach about 50 feet in length. They feed on plankton and pass through the Caribbean waters throughout the summer. Last year, the Domino Research Project installed satellite transmitters in 15 whale sharks to trace their path from the shores of Quintana Roo - the Mexican state where Cancun is located - through the Caribbean Sea.
