Whale Shark Tagging Adventure in the Galapagos

Go behind the scenes of a tagging expedition with marine biologists from Georgia Aquarium. Home to some of the largest whale sharks in the world, learn more about Darwin Island and what makes its waters the perfect home for these gentle giants.

Watch the Galapagos Adventure LIVE with Georgia Aquarium on Discovery's TikTok Thursday, January 20th at 7pm ET/4pm PT

January 19, 2022

By: Discovery and Georgia Aquarium

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Photo By: c/o Georgia Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium team members embarked on a research trip to Darwin Island in the Galapagos to study wild whale sharks and other shark species.

Field work like this potentially answers questions about marine life that scientists still have.

This particular field work is part of a long-term study on the unique grouping of whale sharks sighted seasonally in the waters of the Galapagos.

Divers swim alongside whale sharks to perform various tasks like blood draws and fin tagging for satellite tracking.

Fin tagging is important since it helps researchers track the migration, possible reproduction, diving behavior, and habitat preferences of whale sharks.

Performing blood draws on the whale sharks at Georgia Aquarium in Ocean Voyager and in the wild helps provide a more in-depth look at this endangered species.

The more knowledge scientists have on their overall health, the better we can help and protect whale sharks at home and in the wild.