Whale Shark

Photo: CORDENOS Thierry · CC BY-NC

Whale sharks enter the lagoon between November and February, possibly drawn by the extraordinary plankton productivity of the double-lagoon system, and are regularly seen from the surface cruising the plateau at depths of 4 to 10 metres. The calm enclosed nature of the lagoon allows prolonged snorkel encounters that can last over an hour with a single animal. Their presence inside an enclosed lagoon rather than open ocean is unusual and makes Mayotte one of very few places where swimmers of all experience levels can access whale shark encounters safely.