Thousands of people around the world are helping to save the world's biggest fish. By taking photos of whale sharks, those helpful citizens are providing researchers with critical information about whale sharks' locations and migration routes.
Whale sharks are endangered, with their populations worldwide having decreased by more than 50% over the past 75 years. Although protected in many countries, they are still killed by the fishing industry－caught intentionally and accidentally, especially in tuna (金枪鱼) fishing areas where whale sharks and tuna swim close together. Whale sharks are also threatened by oil and gas drilling, ship strikes and climate change.
To help protect the species, Australian biologist Brad Norman co-founded The Wildbook for Whale Sharks, a photo identification database that went online in 2003. Photography lovers, scientists and whale shark tour operators around the world contribute photos of whale sharks to the system, which uses NASA technology to map their locations and track their movements. Today, the database holds over 70,000 photos from more than 50 countries.
Pictures submitted to The Wildbook are analyzed by scanning the spots on the animal's skin, which are as unique as human fingerprint, says Norman. Then it identifies the shark by searching the database for a matching pattern. This way, they can figure out which whale shark is where.
The data on whale shark locations and migration routes help scientists make strategies to protect whale habitat. "It's so important to have the public assist with our project." says Norman . He hopes to see more people join to help find out where the whale sharks go to mate. Protecting their breeding (繁殖) grounds is the "one big thing" needed to save the species in the long run. The help from thousands of citizens gives him a better chance of making that possible.
