Whale Shark

Photo: Luis Carlos Beltran · CC BY-NC

Whale sharks visit El Planchón from June through November, drawn by the dense plankton blooms that accumulate above the seamount plateau during upwelling season. Individuals here often exceed 8 metres in length and are typically observed feeding at or just below the surface before descending to glide along the seamount walls. The Colombian Pacific is an important corridor for whale shark movements between the Galapagos and Central American aggregation sites.