Endangered· population decreasing· assessed 2025

Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

Sighting evidence at Maumere Bay WWII Wrecks, Flores

Whale sharks visit Maumere Bay from November through March, attracted by the same plankton blooms that made the bay a major Japanese naval staging post in WWII. The unusual experience of watching a 10-meter whale shark cruise over a coral-encrusted wartime wreck is unique to Maumere and has slowly attracted more serious divers to this underexplored bay. Encounters are unguided and unregulated compared to Donsol, meaning sightings require luck but also offer a rawer, more unscripted experience.

Evidence at this site

0 records within 25 km

Confidence: low

No date on file

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Whale Shark

Evidence at this site

Also seen at other sites