Karen Calder, Whale Sharks - Gentle Giants (Animal & Nature 2021)

So, whale or shark? Well, it is a shark, not only the biggest shark in the world but also the biggest fish reaching lengths of 12 metres, weighing up to 18 tons and living for over 100 years. Like all sharks they have a LOT of teeth, 3000 in fact which can neither bite nor chew. Their favourite meal is plankton and small fish which, like whales, they filter through colossal yawning mouths. Their join-the-dots stamp of individuality is unique to each whale shark, much like our fingerprints. Observing these dappled beauties slowly swish by, their gaping mouths a huge cavern that could quite easily vacuum us Jonah-like into their bellies, sharing their space and just "being" together is a truly humbling experience. Encounters with these gentle giants were always on their terms and photographing such huge, moving creatures was a challenge. Playing with vortexing sunlight and water, looking for different reflective angles and perspectives was important in capturing their innner beauty. These endangered creatures need respect, appreciation and preservation. 

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.