This award-winning image presents a unique half-and-half shot of a whale shark at sunset in Indonesia. In the twilight, the whale shark is searching for tiny fish, such as anchovies, which also attract marine birds to hunt.
Whale sharks are not only the largest sharks but also the largest fish on our planet. Their distinctive white spots are unique to each individual, much like human fingerprints. These gentle giants rarely fear humans in the water, but they have reason to be wary of our species: driven by the demand for shark fin soup, humans threaten not only the whale shark but the entire ecosystem in which it lives. Sharks play a crucial role in maintaining marine balance, and their decline poses a significant risk to ocean health.