Despite its massive size, Whale Sharks are the “Gentle Giants” of the ocean. Unlike their other shark relatives that are meat-eaters, these giants are filter feeders.

Every year, huge schools of migrating whale sharks arrive in the waters off of Belize in order to feed on fish spawn and plankton. These enormous creatures normally cruise a depth beyond the reach of most divers. It is only when they rise to the surface to feed that humans can get the rare and wonderful opportunity to interact with these friendly and inquisitive creatures.

Below are eight fascinating facts you need to know about whale sharks:

1. The name “whale” shark refers to their size, not their biology. Whale sharks are fish, not mammals.
2. Whale sharks have been swimming in the Earth’s oceans for approximately 60 million years.
3. Whale sharks have teeth but never use them. They feed by filtering the water for microscopic bacteria and algae.
4. Whale sharks travel approximately 30,000 miles around the globe every year.
5. The largest whale shark ever caught weighed more than 47,000 pounds.
6. Despite weighing several tons, whale sharks feed almost exclusively on tiny plankton virtually invisible to the naked eye.
7. In Asia, whale sharks are called “tofu fish” because the meat is said to taste and look like tofu.
8. Scientists have never observed whale sharks mating and know very little about their biology.

Although whale sharks circumnavigate the globe every year, it is only in the waters around Gladden Spit off the coast of Placencia in Belize that divers can get the rare chance to interact and photograph these magnificent animals. Drawn to the enormous concentration of fish spawn and plankton in the area, whale sharks arrive in the waters off of Belize between March and June.

Because whale sharks are carefully protected by Belizean conservation laws, divers who want to dive with whale sharks must use a licensed tour operator. If you’d like to partake in a truly special diving adventure to get close to and interact with the gentle giants of the deep, sign up for this complete Belize whale shark diving package. It includes three limited slots to dive with whale sharks and accommodations at the world-class Belize resort of Chabil Mar.

Visit our website Chabilmarvillas.com for more information on Belize and Chabil Mar, and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call & chat with us via WhatsApp Free Worldwide: +501-633-7547, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in planning a Belize vacation.

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Find The Best Diving Spots in Placencia Belize

Thanks to a combination of nature’s richness and a history of being protected from boats and commercial fishing, the waters off of the Placencia Peninsula have some of the best diving spots in all of Belize.

The southern part of the Belize Barrier Reef offshore from Placencia is farther away from the mainland and is formed of a large patchwork of different coral channels. Some of these channels are 80 feet deep or more and form a maze of underwater canyons that rise to the surface in the form of shoals, atolls and cayes (islands). This mixture of deep and shallow offers easy access for snorkeling while divers can easily access the deeper areas nearby.

The Inner Barrier Reef

The inner reef serves as a sheltering home where juvenile animals are spawned and spend the early part of their lives. Divers can see juvenile drum fish, barracudas, eagle rays, and sting rays. Adult animals who call the inner reef home include sea rods, seawips, cleaner shrimp, arrow crabs and giant hermit crabs in waters ranging between 60 and 80 feet deep.

The Outer Barrier Reef

Deep underwater canyons start around 35 feet deep and drop off to approximately 3000 feet, giving divers plenty of room to see a startling array of marine life. Diving in this area is restricted to 120 feet due to visibility, and it is possible to see sea turtles, moray eels, lobsters and manta rays. Outer reef diving spots includes Silk Caye, Ranguana and Tarpon Cayes, along with approximately 40 other nearby islands.

Gladden Spit

This tiny patch of land is the best place in the world to see migrating whale sharks when they arrive in Belizean waters between March and June. The largest species of fish in the oceans, some whale sharks can weigh up to 15 tons and measure more than 50 feet long. Because of the whale sharks’ unique feeding habits, they rise to the surface following a lunar cycle and can only be seen three days prior to the full moon until three days following the last quarter moon. Diving to see the whale sharks is done in relatively shallow water of 60 feet or less. Snorkeling on the surface gives a great chance to get close to the whale sharks as they feed on fish spawn.

Snorkeling is also spectacular in Placencia

Off the coast of Placencia, you can find a number of small cayes that are great for snorkeling. Laughing Bird Caye and Silk Caye are two tropical and beautiful cayes that offer amazing snorkeling experiences. Adventure travelers will enjoy swimming with trumpet fish, rays, parrot fish, angelfish and many varieties of tropical fish at both of these cayes.

Visit our website Chabilmarvillas.com for more information on Belize and Chabil Mar, and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call & chat with us via WhatsApp Free Worldwide: +501-633-7547, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in planning a Belize vacation.