A study carried out over more than ten years, which followed dozens of whale sharks along the Indonesian coast, helped identify the areas that this endangered species considers "home". Published Thursday, this research fills important gaps in knowledge of the largest living fish on Earth.

Published on: 04/30/2026 - 09:29 Modified on: 04/30/2026 - 11:57

The secrets of their refuges finally revealed: Indonesia constitutes a sanctuary for whale sharks, according to a study published Thursday April 30 and revealing that these giants, harmless to humans, gather throughout the year in two bays of the vast archipelago.

Published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, the study fills crucial gaps in knowledge of this endangered species and calls for increased protection of Indonesian bays where it congregates.

For more than ten years, 70 whale sharks have been monitored and recorded at sites in Indonesia.

The study made it possible to “record and identify the movements” of the largest living fish on Earth, which can measure up to 14 meters long, said Mochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra, its lead author.

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Two nursery bays?

This research also found that two bays in Indonesia are home to whale sharks all year round and not seasonally as previously thought.

While most of the species' "congregation sites" are considered seasonal gathering points, Cenderawasih Bay, off the coast of Indonesia's Papua province, and Saleh Bay, in Sumbawa, are "like their home", explained Mochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra.

“It’s quite exceptional,” added this person responsible for the conservation of target species for the NGO Konservasi Indonesia.

The combination of protection from predators and wide availability of food like krill makes these bays sanctuaries, with some evidence indicating they could also serve as nurseries.

Cenderawasih Bay is already protected as a national park and its isolation has helped limit mass tourism.

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A future protected area?

Saleh Bay is both popular with visitors and located in a region where onshore corn production and offshore aquaculture are growing. But this area where tourists come to observe the species, at the risk of disturbing the individuals, could quickly be protected.

Konservasi Indonesia is in fact working with the government to create the country's first marine protected area dedicated to whale sharks in Saleh Bay, which Mochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra hopes to see come into force this year.

Dozens of whale sharks have washed up on Indonesian shores in recent years, the researcher noted. Pollution and interactions with fishing vessels are believed to be the main causes.

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Whale sharks in the Indo-Pacific region represent approximately 60% of the individuals living on the planet.

With AFP

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