The Whale Shark is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 18.8 m Approx. 60 Feet.. The whale shark holds many records for size in the animal kingdom, most notably being by far the largest living nonmammalian vertebrate Whale sharks can grow up to 40 feet (12 meters) long, but on average they grow to 18 to 35 feet (5.5 to 12m) and weigh 20.6 tons (18.7 metric tonnes). That’s about the size of a school bus. Whale sharks are filter feeders and can neither bite nor chew. They can process more than 6,000 litres of water an hour through their gills. Various studies looking at vertebrae growth bands and measuring whale sharks in the wild have estimated their lifespans from ~80 years and up to ~130 years. Swimming with whale sharks in the middle of the ocean! While whale sharks have a huge mouth, they almost exclusively feed on plankton. That is why they are absolutely harmless to humans. They are mainly interested in fish eggs, algae and krill, and they are definitely not interested in the person swimming next to them. If you’re worried they may swallow you whole, don’t, Even though their mouths can be up to 4 feet wide and filled with 3000 very tiny teeth they are used for filtering, not biting. The whale shark can filter over 1500 gallons of water each hour to consume a diet of plankton, krill, small fish and squid.