Dykning med Walvishaaien
Onderwaterleven Lanta | Rhincodontidae
De grootste bekende vissoort, de walvishaai (Rhincodon typus), is een langzaam zwemmende, filtervoedende tapijthaai, die soms te zien is tijdens het duiken rond Koh Lanta.
Kun je walvishaaien zien in Koh Lanta?
Deze reusachtige haai komt voor in de open wateren van tropische zeeën en oceanen en bezoekt af en toe de ondiepere rifgebieden rond Koh Lanta.
We hebben de grootste kans om walvishaaien te zien rond de duiklocaties van Koh Haa, en mogelijk ook bij Hin Muang & Hin Daeng. We hebben deze enorme haaien ook gezien bij Koh Rok, Koh Bida Nok en Hin Bida, maar dat komt veel minder vaak voor.
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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.
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.
Duiken met Walvishaaien rond Koh Lanta
Duiken & Snorkeltrips
Als je graag een kans hebt om Walvishaaien te spotten op een van onze dagelijkse hoogseizoen duiktrips vanuit Koh Lanta, stuur ons dan een email naar info@diveandrelax.com.
Ga mee met onze speedboot duiktrips in het hoogseizoen naar enkele van Thailand's beste duiklocaties en geniet van kleine groepen, korte reistijden, met een focus op goede persoonlijke service, veiligheid en plezier.
Not yet a certified diver? Learn to Scuba Dive on Koh Lanta with the 3 day SSI Open Water Diver course.
Boek online en bespaar 10% op duiktrips en duikcursussen op Koh Lanta.
Meer informatie
Indo-Stille Oceaan gidsen
- 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