Project Info
Project Description
The whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the largest fish on Earth, is found along India’s entire coastline, with the largest aggregation off Gujarat’s coast. Although widely distributed in tropical and warm temperate seas, very little scientific data exists about this gentle giant in Indian waters.
Global Status: IUCN reports that whale shark populations are decreasing and its global status is ‘Endangered’.
Whale Shark rescue along the Adimalathura coast | Photo by WTI
Conservation Milestones
Legal Protection
- In 2001, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), in collaboration with Green Oscar-winning filmmaker Mike Pandey, successfully lobbied to list the whale shark under Schedule I of India’s Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, granting it the highest legal protection.
The Whale Shark Campaign- Gujarat
In 2004, WTI launched the pioneering Whale Shark Campaign in Gujarat to create awareness among coastal communities. Fishermen, once hunters of the species, became its protectors, leading to a shift in perception and increased conservation action.
Scientific Research and Conservation Initiatives
Recognizing the need for conservation action, WTI, in collaboration with the Gujarat Forest Department andTata Chemicals Ltd. (TCL), formally launched the Whale Shark Conservation Project in 2008. The project focuses on:
- Photo-identification: Using unique spot patterns for population tracking through ECOCEAN’s global database.
- Satellite Tagging: Tracking whale shark movements and habitat use will shed light of its migratory patterns. As of today, 11 whale sharks have been successfully tagged—a first for India.
Fisher Empowerment
- Self-Documentation Scheme: Over 1500 cameras were distributed to fishermen to document rescues, enabling net damage compensation by the Gujarat Forest Department.
- Rescue Compensation: Fishermen cutting nets to free entangled whale sharks are reimbursed, making India the first country with a government-supported compensation program for whale shark rescues.
A whale shark pup being released back to the waters offshore Gujarat | Photo by Mahendrabhai Kanjibhai Talvariya
Whale Shark Pups
The sighting of 18 whale shark pups along Gujarat’s coast—an unprecedented observation—suggests potential breeding activity in Indian waters.
Expansion Beyond Gujarat
Kerala & Lakshadweep Islands
In 2012–13, a WTI-IUCN survey recorded 28% of fisher-reported whale shark sightings in Lakshadweep waters, with frequent landings linked to Kerala-based fishing.
Building on this:
- In 2017, WTI, with support from Cochin Shipyard Ltd., initiated whale shark conservation efforts in Kerala and Lakshadweep.
- In 2018, the first-ever rescue and release by fishers was recorded in Malappuram, followed by another in Calicut in 2020.
- In 2022, with support from Oracle India Pvt. Ltd., WTI formally launched the Save the Whale Shark Campaign along Kerala and Lakshadweep, working closely with Fisheries Departments and fishers’ associations. From 2023-2025 the project has been supported by VMware and VST Industries.
- 46 whale sharks have been successfully rescued and released to date.
More than 1,000 whale sharks have been rescued and released along India's coastline, showcasing the remarkable success of the conservation efforts.
Upcoming Expansion to Goa
Drawing on successful conservation models from Gujarat, Kerala, and Lakshadweep, WTI is expanding the Save the Whale Shark Campaign to Goa during the current financial year, aiming for broader impact across India’s western coastline.
- Kerala Forest Department
- Department of Environment and Forest, Union Territory of Lakshadweep Administration (UTLA),
- Gujarat Forest Department
- Goa Forest Department
- Oracle (for Goa, Kerala and Lakshadweep)
- Tata Chemicals Limited (for Gujarat)
PROJECT LEAD: Saymanti B
