Cancun celebrates Whaleshark Day

International Whale Shark Day falls on 30 August, and for the third year in a row, the Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau will celebrate with a deeper knowledge and appreciation for the importance and need of preserving the unique species.

Whaleshark season in the Quintana Roo area of Mexico officially started on 15 May, but these harmless animals that feed on plankton pass through the Caribbean waters through the month of September.

Back in 2008, during the International Whale Shark Conference that took place in Isla Holbox, representatives from over 40 countries formally established whaleshark day to celebrate the world's largest fish, known locally as the Domino, because of the white dots on their skin.

On 5 June 2009, the Whaleshark Biosphere Reserve was established off the northern coast of Quintana Roo, which is where masses of whalesharks migrate every year.

During Whale Shark season 2010, the Natural Commission of Protected Natural Areas, (CONANP) has implemented and installed satellite transmitters on 15 different whalesharks as part of the Domino Research Project, with the hopes of aiding researchers in the further investigation and research of behavioral patterns of these animals, once they leave the shores of Quintana Roo.

Investigation into the Atlantic Mexican whale shark commenced seven years ago, in 2003 with the Domino Project. As part of the project investigation a weekly flight, initiated in 2004, is utilised to create a whaleshark census during the season.

The investigation has provided information of great importance such as finding an uncharacteristically large quantity of fish eggs in the ocean during whaleshark observation. This is one of the main reasons these enormous creatures continue to migrate to the area, making it a vital issue to protect the large quantity of fish egg species and respect the laws put in place to protect the gentle giants who visit our waters.