The Whalesharks of Oslob

Taken by
Silke de Vos
Date taken
Sept. 6, 2013
Description
In the Philippine municipality of Oslob fishermen have started feeding whale sharks and this has attracted huge numbers of both sharks and tourists to this place. The feeding became a hotly discussed issue after some terrible incidents happened in 2012, when whale sharks were mistreated by a couple of local tourists. Some people are against feeding because it changes the natural behavior of the whale sharks, which then can become a threat to these large animals. Others have welcomed stricter regulations and enforcement methods that were introduced to protect the sharks and highlight positive aspects like the absence of whale shark hunting, survival of the species and livelihood of the local population. Despite tighter regulations and controls incidents still happen once in a while and will keep the controversial discussion going.
Camera make
Panasonic
Camera model
AF101, HDC SD900, HDC SD100
Housing manufacturer
Sealux
Lighting
Accessories