Figure. Whale shark in Okinawan waters

Whale sharks migrate long distances and are found across the world’s temperate and tropical zones. However, it was not clear what genetic interactions take place between those whale sharks found in Japanese waters and those in other parts of the world.
After studying the genetics of whale sharks in Japanese waters (from Okinawa to Mainland Japan) and in other areas, the results showed likely interactions between whale sharks in Japanese waters, and those in the Philippines, Taiwan and the Gulf of California.
This suggests whale shark migration occurs between the western North Pacific, Indian Ocean and the whole of the North Pacific. These results help reveal the ecology of whale sharks, and are expected to contribute to conservation activities and population management as whale sharks are at risk of population decline.