Cambodia News (Kampot): A fisherman named Ma Buntheoun, from Kampong Thnot village, Kampot, caught a young whale shark, but then he released it back into the sea. It is small for a whale shark; the average adult size is close to 10meters long.


Well done!

There is currently no robust estimate of the global whale shark population. The species is considered endangered by the IUCN due to the impacts of fisheries, by-catch losses, and vessel strikes, combined with its long lifespan and late maturation.[2] In June 2018 the New Zealand Department of Conservation classified the whale shark as "Migrant" with the qualifier "Secure Overseas" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[60]

It is listed, along with six other species of sharks, under the CMS Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks.[61] In 1998, the Philippines banned all fishing, selling, importing, and exporting of whale sharks for commercial purposes,[62] followed by India in May 2001,[63] and Taiwan in May 2007.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_shark

If anyone wants a close up view of that Whale Shark, go have a look at it in the Vietnam fish market next week.

So little is known about these sharks.
But there is an amazing world wide photo-ID project to record every animal possible, and then track their movements as they show up elsewhere.

If you see a whale shark, grab your phone or camera and jump into the water right next to it.
Photograph the spots just behind the gills and send your photo's to the site below.
Those spots are like fingerprints - a unique pattern for every individual.
"Your" shark will be recorded, named, numbered and you will be sent an email any time it is sighted at a later date.

Small numbers of whale sharks are known to use the Gulf of Thailand, but very little is known about their habits, movements, and congregation sites.
A huge congratulations to this fisherman. Ma Buntheoun, from Kampong Thnot village, Kampot

The word, and a higher appreciation, seems to be getting around - just because you catch a big beautiful sea creature, you don't necessarily have to eat it.
See - things can change.

More info about the photo ID project -
https://www.whaleshark.org/