Basking Shark Vs Whale Shark : Undiscovered Secrets

Basking shark vs Whale shark are the two largest extant shark species. They are similar but you will notice that they are different. For some people, it could be challenging to identify the differing factors between 2 species of fish. 

Basking shark vs whale shark

Here is where we would like to fill in the gap, find out the comparisons in this page. 

Similarities between 2 types of fish 

Think of them as whales with gills. They are both filter feeders, they are after small things like plankton, krill, and other things that small animals like fish and whales eat that go through the water with them. 

Both sharks belong to the same family of fish. They may not look like the sharks we are used to seeing, but they are indeed the real sharks. 

Differences 

 These two Basking Shark vs Whale Shark have some things in common, but they are very different in other ways, like their size and appearance. 

Appearance & Size

 They may be gray or brown in color, with a mottled skin tone, but they’re not always that way. Their jaws are also very big for a shark of their size. Whale sharks have a wide mouth and a dark gray body with white dots on it. This helps them filter what they eat. They have a more round head shape than the other one, and their mouths are closer to the front of their skulls (than the underside). 

Whale-Shark

Whale Shark.

The Basking Shark family can grow up to 26 feet long. Meanwhile, the Whale sharks can grow up to 62 feet long. 

Habitat and Distribution

While whale sharks prefer tropical environments, basking sharks may be found all around the world. They have to go a considerable distance to graze on plankton. 

A worldwide migratory species can be found as long as the water is not too frigid. Throughout the year, these Basking Shark vs Whale Shark beasts travel hundreds of kilometers to hunt the greatest plankton in the water. Some individuals go to warmer climates throughout the winter. It is indeed a wise move. 

Habitat and Distribution Whale sharks

We can spot them in a variety of locations across the world, including the coast of Massachusetts, the Amazon River, and the Mediterranean Sea, to mention a few. In the winter, some sharks want to descend further, perhaps 900 meters below (3,004 ft). 

The bigger type shark lives in tropical waters and other open areas. Only in a few situations the sharks would dwell in water as cold as 70 degrees F. ( or 21 degrees C). 

They prefer cold water over warm water. The greatest area to observe them in the UK is on the west coast, near the Isle of Man, which is located between England and Ireland. There are a lot more photographs of people in pictures of people swimming with them in tropical waters. People go from Thailand to Tobago to admire the natural beauty of the Caribbean. 

The finest site in the United States to see these fishes is off the coast of Cape Cod. They can be seen in the United States on the west coast of Maui. People should be able to see them here. 

Diet 

Both species of Basking Shark vs Whale Shark are filter feeders, which means that they swim through the water with their big jaws open and catch small things like zooplankton, fish eggs, and invertebrates. 

Diet

Basking eats plankton as their main food source. Hence, they try to reach out and open its mouth to eat its food. These beasts are fond of food from small fish and invertebrates that are dwelling near the surface of the water. These sea creatures eat zooplankton. When they swim ahead and open their mouth, they use gill rakers to help it move forward. 

As mentioned, the whale shark eats plankton that filter feeds. This animal mostly eats small marine organisms like plankton, fish eggs, and more. There is a lot of demand for the red crab larvae on Christmas Island. People say sharks eat more than just squid and small fish. An estimated 46 pounds of plankton are eaten by an adult every single day.  

Life span 

Basking sharks can live for up to 50 years, but whale sharks can live for up to 130 years or more depending on certain factors like diet, stress levels, survivability, and many others. When it comes to the showdown, the latter totally wins this point.

 What is the most distinctive factor?

The whale ones have a white pattern on their bodies and smaller teeth than Basking Sharks, even though they are bigger than the latter  and have more teeth. It is smaller than other sharks, but they have bigger jaws that make them stand out from other sharks. Filter feeders, both of which move at a slower rate.

 Will they eat humans?

 Sharks don’t see humans as their sole prey, even though they are very big. Plankton is their favorites. But both Basking Shark vs Whale Shark can be really aggressive towards humans when they are threatened. Although there is zero case of the human prey, most contacted parties got injured because of boat accidents. In short, no, they will not eat humans.  

Which is bigger ? 

These huge Basking Shark vs Whale Shark beasts are at the top of the food chain. It’s prevalent  for both sea dwellers to get food at the surface of water. 

There is a tie for the biggest fish in the world. These sharks are both in the top two places in our current timeline. It doesn’t matter how hard it is to compare these two, there is still a clear winner. There are far more of them  and they’re much bigger than basking sharks in the wild. 

Filter feeders, bone sharks, and basking sharks (sometimes known as bone sharks) search the water for microscopic prey. They swim about in search of little meals. 

Basking sharks can grow to be up to 30 feet long, although the majority of them are little more than 25 feet long. When fully mature, the shark may weigh up to 8,000 pounds or more. It was 39 feet long and weighed 36,000 pounds. According to new studies, It has grown larger than the hammerhead shark. 

The whale sharks aren’t as frightening as basking sharks, but they aren’t hazardous filter feeders either. In general, these beasts are roughly 40 feet long. Some of them can grow to be more than 60 feet long from tip to tail. They may reach lengths of up to 61.7 feet. This one established a new standard. People believe they weigh between 15 and 20 tons, which is greater than the weight of a basking shark. 

What is the biggest shark on earth? 

Both Basking Shark vs Whale Shark are the world’s two largest shark species in this timeline. Extinct sharks, on the other hand, are bigger than any of these two “living” species. 

In fact, Megalodon, the world’s largest shark, was named after him. It is widely thought to be the best of all time. Megalodon is thought to have been more than 50 feet long and weighed more than 100,000 pounds. The megalodon was at least twice as big as a whale shark, which is what it was. Even though we don’t know how often the two species came into contact in open water, it’s likely that they did. In light of its size, it’s very likely that the megalodon was eating the other species as its dinner right now. 

How are they so big?

As a rule, most of the world’s largest animals end up in the ocean. At this point, it is only natural to hear about colossal squids and other massive sizes of creatures. The  Basking Shark vs Whale Shark beasts that grow so big is just another routine. 

When it comes to the growth of marine animals, one of the most important factors is how much food they can grab. It is important to eat a lot of food in order to gain and keep muscle mass. These two sharks are the only filter feeders that are still around. When these sharks swim, they open their jaws and let the water flow freely through them. : 

The water  will get into the filter pads that go around their lips, which makes them bigger and swell. These pads work like sponges, letting water pass through while retaining food particles. Every day, a single mouthful of water can add up to hundreds of pounds of food, so it’s important to drink enough water. Because they eat so much food (krill, plankton, and algae), they can grow to enormous sizes . 

Basking Shark vs Whale Shark creatures are both in the top chain group. A lot of predators would be unable or unwilling to deal with them. Creatures who live in water can’t hurt them unless they are still young. These sharks are at risk when they are young. Other sharks and predatory fish are more likely to kill young fishes.

These two fishes will also be at risk when they reach their full size. At this point, humans are the only real threat. It’s a shame that boat accidents are the main cause of death. 

Where do basking and whale sharks live? 

If you’re hunting for a whale shark, you’ll have a better chance of finding one in a warm environment. In the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, there are two big groupings of these creatures. The moment the water temperature goes below 70 degrees, they prefer to seek refuge in warmer environments. Another thing to note is that they are always on the move in search of new food sources and new locations to raise their youngsters. 

While swimming in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, you may come across a large number of “basking sharks.” They enjoy mild to moderate temperatures, and they avoid locations such as the polar regions and the tropics, which may be hazardous to their health since they can be extremely hot or extremely cold, respectively. Both giants are constantly on the move in search of food and breeding grounds.

Are whale sharks preying on basking sharks?

 There aren’t many individuals that hunt basking sharks. If you look at the bodies of these sharks, you’ll notice that they’ve been eaten by them, according to reports. They’ve been spotted devouring basking sharks in the oceans off the shores of California, the United States, and New Zealand.

 Basking sharks, in general, do not have to worry about being eaten by other species. Once the basking shark is dead, a great white is more likely to consume it. There is a possibility that great white sharks will consume the corpses of basking sharks.

 Where to see whale sharks and basking sharks?

 At this point, it’s clear that basking sharks and whale sharks are very different from each other. They are rarely seen in the same place at the same time, even though they live all over the world.

 Basking sharks, on the other hand, enjoy swimming in cold water. Especially on the Isle of Man, which is in the middle of both England and Ireland, you can see them. This is why there are so many pictures of people swimming with whale sharks on the internet. Whale sharks are more common in tropical places for some reason. Many Thai tourists go to Tobago to enjoy the outdoors. This is why so many Thai people go there.

 Off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is a place where you might be able to see Basking Sharks the best in the United States. Hawaii is the best place in the U.S. to see whale sharks. They might be seen off the west coast of Maui. For better results, think about going to Mexico or Belize instead of the United States.

Maybe you kike:

Chatterbait Fishing: 14 Tips And Techniques to Use

Arctic Char vs Salmon – Interesting facts you didn’t know

Fluke vs Flounder – Weird Differences

Wahoo vs. Mahi Mahi Taste: Two Delicious Fish

Sheepshead vs. Black Drum: The Key Differences?

 

5/5 - (1 vote)
Jasper

Jasper

Fisherman

Related Posts