Whale sharks are the world's largest fish and popular ecotourism subjects, but unregulated tourism causes welfare harm through vessel strikes, chemical sunscreen pollution, and behavioural disruption.
Whale shark welfare in ecotourism is shaped by operator behaviour and regulatory frameworks. Crowding of multiple swimmers around individual sharks forces them to change depth and direction, increasing energy expenditure. Direct touching disrupts the protective mucus layer and can transmit pathogens. Vessel propeller strikes cause visible scarring documented in photo-ID databases. Regulated whale shark tourism with minimum distances, no touching, and limited swimmer numbers can achieve low welfare impact while delivering conservation funding. The tourism value of live whale sharks vastly exceeds their value dead - creating commercial incentives for conservation that can be aligned with welfare protection.