Whale Shark

Photo: Sotiris Kountouras · CC BY-NC

Whale sharks are occasionally encountered in the open water between shore and the deep-water escarpment off Batticaloa, particularly during the March to May transition as seasonal plankton blooms driven by northeast monsoon-end upwelling attract these filter feeders to the surface. Encounters are unplanned and brief — a fin or dorsal shape spotted from the boat, then an opportunistic water entry — but the absence of regular tourism pressure in this area means individuals are unhurried and tolerant. Each whale shark carries a unique spot pattern on its flanks that allows individual identification; sightings here should be submitted to the Wildbook for Whale Sharks citizen science database.