Whale sharks are not actually related to whales — they are fish, which means they breathe through gills. They got their name because they are as big as a whale. They are covered in a pattern of white dots and stripes on dark grey skin, and each whale shark has a unique pattern, just like a fingerprint.
Every spring around the full moon, the coral on Gladden Spit spawns — releasing millions of tiny eggs into the water in a sparkling cloud. Whale sharks gather to swim through these clouds with their enormous mouths wide open, filtering out the eggs. It is one of the most spectacular natural events in the entire ocean.
Swimming alongside a whale shark feels unbelievable — you are next to a creature bigger than a bus, but it glides past so peacefully and gently that it is not frightening at all. Local dive guides in Belize know exactly when and where to take snorkellers to have the best chance of an encounter.
Whale sharks travel enormous distances across the oceans and are considered a vulnerable species, which means scientists work hard to track and protect them. Belize protects Gladden Spit as a marine reserve partly to ensure these gentle giants can always return to feed.