Cameras attached to whale shark fins reveal previously unknown behavioral traits

NINGALOO REEF, Western Australia — Newly obtained footage has given researchers an unprecedented point-of-view look into whale sharks’ feeding habits, helping them identify 36 distinct behavioral traits.Using the video footage alongside more than 100 scientific articles on the subject, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) said, “this is the largest catalog of whale shark behaviors to date.”Because whale sharks live in tropical oceans where food is often scarce and unevenly distributed, they must continually adjust how they find and consume food.Although the comprehensive study was published in late July 2026, the footage analyzed in the research was originally captured during a field study in 2018.To obtain this valuable footage, researchers used data tags equipped with small cameras that were attached to the fins of several whale sharks.“Unbothered, these gentle giants continued to swim while we watched them disappear into the open blue water,” AIMS stated, adding that the tags were programmed with a 24-hour preset period, allowing them to detach naturally without impacting the sharks.The institute highlighted that tagging has long been valuable for understanding the movements and patterns of marine species, but traditional tags do not allow researchers to directly observe an animal’s behavior.“Through our new study, we could finally address the question: ‘What do whale sharks do when no one is watching?’ Filling these research gaps is essential so we can help protect these majestic yet endangered filter-feeding animals,” AIMS said.The research revealed that whale sharks use a wider range of feeding behaviors than previously documented, feeding throughout the water column and along the seafloor.Although whale sharks were already known to make deep dives, they were often thought to primarily feed near the surface.Researchers found that whale sharks use a variety of strategies, from low-energy behaviors like slowly sinking ...