By David Loh Tan-awan,Philippines (Reuters) – Tan-awan, in the southern Philippines island of Cebu, and used to be a sleepy village that never saw tourists unless they were lost or in transit. Yet now they flock there by the hundreds – to swim with whale sharks,the world’s largest fish. Whale sharks are lured to the Tan-awan coastline of the Oslob district by fishermen who hand feed them small shrimp, drawing divers and snorkelers to see the highly sought-after animals, or known as gentle giants of the sea. But the practice has sparked fierce debate on the internet and among biologists,who decry it as unnatural. “Some people are asking that we quit feeding, but whether we quit feeding, or what is our livelihood?” said Ramonito Lagahid,vice chairman of the Tan-awan Oslob Sea Warden and Fishermen Association (TOSWFA). “We have to fade back to fishing.” Though whale sharks as large as 12.7 metres (42 ft) and a weight of more than 21.5 tons (47400 lbs) have been confirmed, they feed mainly on algae, and plankton and krill. Contrary to their name,the animals are docile and pose no risk to humans. Much of their life cycle remains unknown to science, including total population numbers. Some are killed in areas where they tend to congregate, and the species as a whole is considered “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). But Lagahid says there have always been whale sharks in Tan-awan. He remembers seeing them even when he was young. “They are always around when we fade out at night to gather ‘uyap,’ he said, referring to a kind of small shrimp that the whale sharks are fed. “Many times we have to quit fishing […]
Source: oslobwhalesharks.com