What current research has been done with the Belize whale shark population?
Much of the work on whale sharks in Belize was undertaken between 1998 and 2004. Their movements, site fidelity, feeding behavior, tourism value, and population size and structure were researched. I found at least 106 individuals identified from over 580 encounters. The majority of sharks encountered were immature males with an average length of six meters. The whale sharks visiting Gladden Spit are capable of arriving exactly when the snappers spawn and leave when spawning ceases to provide enough food. After this, they move to other feeding sites along the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, such as Holbox/Isla Contoy and into the Gulf of Mexico to the north; to the south and south east, they travel to Utila (Honduras) and beyond. Since these studies, the Belizean NGO Friends of Nature (in Placencia) is noting the number of whale sharks encountered and the number of tourists visiting Gladden Spit.
