If lions occupy a place of pride in Gujarat, whale sharks have also moved up in the wildlife map of the State. With persistent conservation efforts by the Wildlife Trust of India, Gujarat Forest Department and Tata Chemicals, nearly 500 whale sharks have been rescued from the shores of Gujarat in the past few years. 

On the occasion of International Whale Shark Day on Sunday, the three organisations have come forward with the various conservation initiatives adopted by them for the protection of this threatened species. The efforts have further borne fruits due to the involvement of local fishermen. 

The species faces threat from poaching due to its meat fish and skin. The animal has been included under Schedule -1 of the Wildlife Protection Act-1972.

In Gujarat, the animal is known as Known as Vhali, the loved one, appearing after the lions in terms of its conservation importance. It has bounced back from the situation where a large number of them were dying after getting entangled in nets of fishermen and consequent delay by the members of the rescue team in reaching the troubled site.

According to Prof BC Choudhury, Senior Adviser and Project Investigator, WTI, to speed up the release, a self-photo documentation process was initiated and 1,200 water proof cameras were distributed to fishermen in Sutrapada, Dhamlej and Veraval since 2012. The captured images of a rescue by fishermen  also served as evidence to prove the damage to nets and claim financial relief from the Government.

In the next phase of the Whale Shark Conservation programme, the trio initiated the country’s first ever whale shark satellite and marker tagging programme. So far, four whale sharks have been tagged with satellite transmitter to follow the migratory patterns of the species.

Further, 132 fishermen were trained on deploying marker tags on the rescued fish that could reveal more about the population of this mysterious creature.

Prof Choudhury, however, added that more information is required on the behavioural and migration patterns of this species. Further knowledge of this large animals can help understand them better and draft a conservation strategy that will ensure their survival in the deep seas.

WTI recently signed a MoU with the with Indian Institute for Science Education and Research, Kolkata (IISER-K), to understand the ecosystem health of whale shark habitat along the coast of Gujarat and generate scientific dataset from plankton and benthic fauna (bottom dwelling animals-mainly in sediments).

Further, WTI is taking the whale shark conservation from the West coast to the East coast with support from the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department and EGREE Foundation. It has signed an MOU in Kakinada to mark the occasion of  International Whale Shark Day.