Whale sharks, the world's largest fish, face threats from fishing, boat strikes, and tourism, with individual welfare implications alongside serious conservation concerns for the species.
Whale sharks face welfare challenges at every level of their interaction with humans — from tourism harassment to boat strikes to aquarium captivity. The Oslob model, where sharks are fed to keep them stationary for tourist interaction, is particularly concerning: it disrupts natural migration behaviour, risks nutritional imbalance, and exposes animals to high-intensity boat and snorkeller contact. Animals retained in aquaria face chronic welfare compromise from confinement in inadequate volumes of water. Even well-managed eco-tourism at aggregation sites can cause stress if vessel proximity and snorkeller density are uncontrolled. Best-practice guidelines recommend minimum approach distances, no-touch policies, and careful visitor number management.