A group of tourists sailing on the La Aguja sector, in Tayrona Park (Santa Marta), were surprised when they came across a whale shark swimming near their boat, in the company of a group of dolphins.
The moment, which was recorded by the same visitors, and which went viral on social networks, apparently happened during this Holy Thursday, while tourists were enjoying the waters of Tayrona Park. In the video, dolphins are seen swimming a few meters from the boat, next to a large animal that, initially, travelers could not identify.
Although at first tourists claimed that it was a whale because of its size, later, when the marine specimen swam under the boat, they realized that it was not a cetacean, but a whale shark.
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The specimen, which is not a whale, but the largest fish in the world, would have reached Colombian waters because, being species that prefer warm waters, it can be seen in tropical marine ecosystems.
The species, which surprised sailors in Santa Marta, can grow up to 20 meters long and live up to 150 years old, according to data from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Although its large size generates fear among people, according to the same organization, the whale shark is considered a “kind giant”.
The fish is considered so “docile” that, according to National Geographic, the specimen “sometimes allows divers to swim clinging to them.” Today, whale sharks are one of the most vulnerable species in the world, however, according to data collected by the same medium, it is still being hunted in some parts of Asia, such as Taiwan and the Philippines.
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After the video went viral on social media, netizens also expressed their surprise at the event and called the travelers who were able to observe the whale shark in the waters of Santa Marta as “lucky”.
“You were lucky to see that majesty of nature”, “Definitely the magic of having absolutely everything”, “How nice, don't screw it !!!” , “I love Santa Marta, my favorite place”, “Impressive what a privilege”, “What an absolute beauty a whale shark” and “That's why I love that city, I'm from there in my heart”, were some of the comments left by Twitter users in the video post.
Below you can watch the entire recording:
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