Warmer oceans are putting two giants of the sea on a collision course. Even at the size of a school bus, whale sharks \u2014 the world\u2019s largest fish\u00a0\u2014 are no match for cargo ships in busy shipping lanes: When the two collide, the sharks
\n always lose.<\/p>\n
And unfortunately, climate change will make deadly encounters more common, according to a new study<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhale sharks’ risk of being struck by these massive ships could increase dramatically if fossil fuel use continues to run wild \u2014 driving climate change and making our oceans hotter than ever<\/a>,\u201d Researchers used satellite data<\/a> to track 348 whale sharks over 15 years. They then overlaid The study, published in Nature Climate Change, found that in every future climate scenario, the risk of fatal collisions rises: If greenhouse gas emissions surge unabated, that risk could increase by up to 43 percent by 2100.\u00a0<\/p>\n The reasons behind whale sharks’ dramatic decline stumped researchers for years.\u00a0<\/em>\n<\/p>\n Whale sharks are among the marine species most vulnerable<\/a> to climate change. They are The study\u2019s results offer other insights into whale sharks, whose populations have struggled in recent decades. Erdmann said the findings are helping scientists piece together what\u2019s behind their decline \u2014 and what the future may hold Over the past 75 years, whale shark populations have declined by more than 50 percent<\/a>. Overfishing, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, is largely to blame. Whale Yet by the early 2000s, many countries recognized whale sharks\u2019 economic value in generating ecotourism<\/a>, prompting many places to crack down on unsustainable fishing and create explicit protections for whale sharks. One study found that whale shark tourism in Ningaloo, Western Australia, was worth US$ 19 million Today, whale sharks are protected in nearly every country within their range. Yet despite decades of protection, their populations continue to decline. <\/p>\n \u201cScientists were scratching their heads wondering what the heck was going on,\u201d Erdmann said. \u201cThat\u2019s when we began to suspect that something more insidious was going on that we weren\u2019t seeing.\u201d <\/p>\n
\n said Conservation International marine biologist Mark Erdmann, a co-author of the study. \u201cWe already know these collisions are likely behind many whale shark deaths \u2014 these new findings are outright alarming for the future of the species.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n the sharks\u2019 movements with global climate models and shipping routes to predict whether the gentle giants\u2019 search for cooler waters would lead to more or fewer collisions.<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/cicloud.imgix.net\/images\/default-source\/non-vault-images-s3\/20230320-084309_dsc03229.jpg?sfvrsn=edef8f34_3&&auto=compress&auto=format&fit=crop?&auto=compress&auto=format&w=800\")
\u00a9 Mark Erdmann<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\n currently found in tropical to temperate waters, but their range is expected to shift up to 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) toward the North and South Poles as they seek cooler waters. The study identified coastal areas near the western United States,
\n Sierra Leone and the eastern China Sea as future collision hotspots, as whale sharks are likely to migrate to those waters\u00a0\u2014 which are also some of the world\u2019s busiest shipping routes. <\/p>\n
\n for this endangered species.\u00a0<\/p>\nWhere did all the whale sharks go? <\/h2>\n
\n sharks were prized for their meat in some Asian countries, even nicknamed \u201ctofu shark<\/a>\u201d because of their spongy white flesh. <\/p>\n
\n per year, while another study valued whale shark tourism to Isla Mujeres, Mexico, at US$ 14 million annually. <\/p>\n
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