As our effort for the world’s first captive breeding of whale sharks, we started display a couple of whale sharks at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. We relocated one smaller female whale shark to an outside fish pen of three whale sharks in the Kuroshio main tank. Compared with their original size, they have grown 1.5 to 2 times in total length and 4 to 8 times in weight, so we need to secure the main tank with a sufficient space for immature female whale shark to be grown, eventually for the successful captive breeding of whale sharks. We are planning to add a smaller whale shark – total length about 11 to 13 feet (3.5 to 4 meters) – in the main tank to display with larger whale sharks in the future.

Whale shark

As the world's largest fish reaching lengths of 40 feet (12 meters) or more, whale shark is found in open waters of the tropical oceans. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium had succeeded in keeping whale shark for the first in the world and “Jinta” has the world’s long-term keeping record of whale shark.
Knowledge regarding breeding in whale sharks is scarce including the sexual maturation process, mating behavior, breeding cycle, and pregnancy period.