Dykning med Hvalhajer

Den største kendte fiskeart, hvalhajen (Rhincodon typus), er en langsomt bevægende, filtrerende tæppehaj, som man nogle gange ser, når man dykker omkring Koh Lanta.

Kan man se hvalhajer på Koh Lanta?

Denne kæmpehaj findes i åbent vand i de tropiske have og oceaner og besøger af og til de mere lavvandede revområder omkring Koh Lanta.

Vi har størst chance for at se hvalhajer omkring Koh Haa-dykstederne og muligvis også ved Hin Muang og Hin Daeng. Vi har også set disse enorme hajer ved Koh Rok, Koh Bida Nok og Hin Bida, men det er meget sjældnere.

1 arter fundet på denne side:

• Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)

Whale Shark

(Rhincodon typus)

Whale Sharks are dark grey with a white belly. Their skin is marked with pale grey or white spots and stripes which are unique to each individual.

Whale sharks have five large pairs of gills, a blunt snout, and very large mouths located at the front of the head, rather than on the underside of the head like many other sharks.

Short barbels protrude from the nostrils, common in many carpet shark species.

Rhincodon typus @ Koh Haa

The eyes are small, located just behind the mouth at the front corners of the head.

There are three prominent ridges along the sides, starting above and behind the head, and ending at the caudal peduncle (the narrow part of a fish's body to which the tail fin is attached).

Researchers have found whale sharks spend most of their time in deep water, occasionally rising to the surface to scoop up clouds of plankton, small fish and squid and whatever else happens to be their way.

Whale sharks have also been observed travelling great distances to satisfy their enormous appetites.

Whale Shark @ Hin Muang

Whale Shark @ Koh Haa

Females give birth to live young around 40 to 60 cm long, however humans have never observed this process in the wild. In 1996 a captured female was found to be pregnant with 300 pups.

The birthing locations, and areas where the young spend their first few months of life remain unknown, possibly occurring in the deeper depths of the oceans.

Reaching sexual maturity at around 30 years, whale sharks are estimated to have a lifespan of between 70 and 100 years.

These gentle giants are curious around divers, but scared off by boats, excessive noise and people trying to get too close to them.

Over the years, we have seen more whale sharks around the Koh Haa islands than at any other dive site.

Dykning med Hvalhajer omkring Koh Lanta

Dykning og snorkelture

Hvis du gerne vil have chancen for at se Hvalhajer på en af vores daglige dykkerture i højsæsonen fra Koh Lanta, så send os en e-mail til info@diveandrelax.com.

Deltag i vores speedbådsdykkerture i højsæsonen til nogle af Thailands bedste dykkersteder og nyd små grupper, korte rejsetider med fokus på god personlig service, sikkerhed og sjov.

Er du endnu ikke certificeret dykker? Lær at dykke på Koh Lanta med det 3-dages SSI Open Water Diver-kursus.

Få mere at vide

Indo-Stillehavets havdyrsguider

• Allen, G., Steene, R., Humann, P., DeLoach, N. (2003) Reef Fish Identification, Tropical Pacific. Jacksonville, FL., USA: New World Publications, Inc., ISBN 1-878348-36-1.
• Humann, P., DeLoach, N., (2010) Reef Creature Identification, Tropical Pacific. Jacksonville, FL., USA: New World Publications Inc., ISBN 978-1-878348-44-9
• Debelius, H. (2013) Indian Ocean Reef Guide. Frankfurt, Germany: IKAN - Unterwasserarchiv, ISBN 978-3-939767-52-7.
• Debelius, H. (2004) Nudibranchs and Sea Snails, Indo-Pacific Field Guide. Frankfurt, Germany: IKAN - Unterwasserarchiv, ISBN 3-925919-51-1
• Erhardt, H., Knop, D. (2015) Corals Indo-Pacific Field Guide. Frankfurt, Germany: IKAN - Unterwasserarchiv, ISBN 3-925919-69-4.
• Veron J.E.N., Stafford-Smith M.G., Turak E. and DeVantier L.M. (2016). Corals of the World

Flere referencer om havets dyreliv og yderligere information