The incredible moment when huge whale sharks videobomb a tourist group in the Philippines.
Milkie Espinosa Rodriguez and her friends captured the gentle giant coming towards the group while they were swimming in Oslob, Cebu City.
Oslob is a tiny coastal community that’s famous for its whale sharks.
Milkie said of the fantastic moment: ‘It was a bit scary at first as the shark seemed a little too friendly.
They kept on coming closer even after we chased them away.
‘We’ve been wanting to do this for years and we were finally able to push the trip through despite the pandemic.
“It was an amazing, incredible, once in a lifetime experience.”
A group of friends swims in Oslob, Cebu City. Philippines. The gentle giant approaches them and goes up to the surface.
One of the first whale sharks can be seen opening their mouth to the surface. The species uses this to filter plankton.
While waving at the camera from above and below the water, they hold onto wooden beams on either side of their boat.
The shadow of a Whale Shark can be seen in the background as the camera sinks.
One of the first whale sharks can be seen opening their mouth to reach the surface. The species uses this to remove plankton.
These fish are considered the world’s largest, growing up to 39 feet long and living up to 150 years.
They are listed as a endangered species and on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN), Red List of Threatened Species, they have been declared endangered.
While waving at the camera from above and below the water, they held onto wooden beams that were attached either to one side or the other of the boat.
Tourist Milkie Espinosa Rodrigo was the one who took the video. She said that it was “an incredible, unbelievable, once in a lifetime experience”.
Because they consume plankton, small fish and other tiny animals as part of their diet, experts say these sharks do not pose a threat to human health.
To make room between the animals, the members of the group will initially move towards the other members.
Tourists begin to realize that the grey-spotted giant is peaceful and in harmony with their natural environment.
Because they consume plankton, small fish and other tiny animals, experts say these sharks do not pose a significant threat to human health.
They start to see the encounter as a photographic opportunity and pose for the camera, giving thumbs up while smiling next to the whale-shark.