Ahmedabad: In a step towards learning more about the world's biggest fish, the whale shark, a female of the species was yesterday successfully satellite tagged near Sutrapada coastal town in Junagadh district.
The tagging, the second ever in the country, was done this morning by the Whale Shark Conservation Project team with the help of fishing community members.
The project, a joint initiative of the Gujarat Forest Department and the International Fund for Animal Welfare - Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI), works togather more information on the species to help develop effective conservation strategies.
It is supported by Tata Chemicals Ltd.
“Satellite tagging is a significant exercise for conservation of this endangered species.
Tagging will aid in exploring new facts and data on whale shark habitats and provide precise information on migratory patterns, breeding and survival off the Gujarat coast,” said Alka Talwar, Head of Community Development at Tata Chemicals Ltd.
“The whale shark tagged today is a female, around 18ft long. It was caught in a fishing net and has been released post tagging.
This is the second such example in the country,” said Prem Jothi, the WTI biologist who implanted the tag. According to experts, these fish travel thousands of miles during winters to come to the Gujarat coast from Australia.
“Gujarat has been leading the way in conservation of whale sharks in the country with the fishing community coming forward to save the species over the past decade,” said Aradhana Sahu, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Junagadh.
Whale sharks were once brutally hunted for their liver oil, which was used to waterproof boats. In 2001, the whale shark became the first fish to be listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Following the hugely successful Whale Shark Campaign in 2004, the fishing community in Gujarat began releasing back the whale sharks which were accidentally caught in their nets.
Till date, release of around 400 whale sharks has been recorded.
