Whale sharks are the world's largest fish and face threats from boat strikes, bycatch, and tourism interactions. Their welfare in wild and semi-wild contexts is an emerging conservation concern.
Whale sharks in provisioning tourism contexts face repeated boat interactions, altered feeding behaviour, and skin abrasions from propellers. Research at sites like Oslob in the Philippines has documented shorter dives, reduced natural foraging, and body condition changes in provisioned sharks compared to wild counterparts. The welfare costs of tourism must be weighed against economic incentives and local conservation outcomes. Responsible whale shark tourism follows guidelines that prohibit touching, flash photography, and close approach, and that do not offer food provisioning.