On August 30^th we celebrated International Whale Shark Day to shine a spotlight on these gentle creatures that live in warm waters around the world, such as the Coral Triangle! Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are filter feeders, which means they swim with their mouth open to catch their favorite food such as plankton, small fish, and crustaceans such as krill. Thus, even if they have 3,000 tiny teeth they never get to use them!  Whale sharks can live up to 70 years and can grow from 55–64 centimeters at birth to over 10 meters in adulthood. They are docile creatures that often let divers and snorkelers get close but they are classified as vulnerable and are often harmed by propellers and boats, and by hunting in certain parts of the world.