On the trail of the whale shark – Tropical Sea of Grau

Local fishermen from Tumbes and Piura maintain a harmonious coexistence with this species.

April, 2024

When Alejandra Mendoza Pfennig asked northern fishermen if they knew the whale shark, she was surprised to learn that they know it as “tintorera” and “toothless whale”, and avoided it because it would approach with its mouth open. However, despite its large size, it does not represent a threat and its presence is key to the area that has been proposed for the establishment of the Grau Tropical Sea National Reserve, where the northern and Humboldt tropical currents meet, which enriches the marine ecosystem. 

If there are blue sharks in the sea, it indicates a rich sea: “Whale sharks are umbrella species all over the world. Through them, much larger ecosystems and smaller species are protected, which makes them a good indicator of the health of an ecosystem, because they are filtering animals,” says Alejandra Mendoza, marine researcher and conservationist, in the short film In the Footsteps of the Whale Shark.