Whale sharks face increasing threats from boat propellers and irresponsible tourism at aggregation sites, threatening individual welfare and the viability of key feeding grounds.
Propeller strikes from tourist boats cause traumatic lacerations that may be immediately fatal or become infected over time. Even non-lethal injuries cause pain and potentially affect the animal's ability to feed efficiently. Repeated harassment by large numbers of swimmers causes behavioral avoidance, potentially displacing individuals from critical feeding sites. The cumulative welfare impact of poorly regulated tourism at aggregation sites is significant for what are likely cognitively sophisticated, long-lived animals.