Every couple of dive trips we have the great pleasure of spotting these beautiful creatures.
Diving in Qatar has become one of the largest past time actives in the country.
The greats feeling is seeing the smile on everyone's face once we see these whale sharks.
"The Gulf was historically thought to be too hot for the whale shark, a creature that’s been dubbed a “gentle giant” and known to grow up to 18m long – larger than a typical bus.
Historically, this type of shark was more commonly found off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, around the Galápagos Islands, in the Red Sea near Djibouti and off the coast of Taiwan, among other places.
But in recent years, congregations of more than 100 whale sharks have been observed around several of Qatar’s offshore oil platforms, which provide a “sanctuary” for the creatures and the mackerel tuna upon whose eggs they feed.
Al Shaheen oil field
The Al Shaheen oil field – which is located 90km off Qatar’s coast near the country’s maritime border with Iran – is a high-security zone that’s mostly closed to the public.
With minimal boat traffic, researchers say some of the oil platforms appear to have flourished as artificial reefs." ( Article from Doha New)
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