Whale Shark

Photo: Simon Pierce · CC BY-NC

Whale sharks visit Santa Monica Bay from February through May, coinciding with the peak of the Cape Verde upwelling season that generates dense concentrations of copepods and fish eggs in the bay's sheltered waters. Research tagging by the Whale Shark Project Cape Verde suggests these individuals follow a trans-Atlantic circuit linking the Caribbean, Brazil, and West Africa, with Boa Vista serving as a critical fuelling stop. Juveniles of 4 to 6 m are most common but adults exceeding 8 m are recorded each season.