The appearance of three whale sharks in the waters around Preah Sihanouk province’s Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem islands is expected to bring added prosperity to the province’s already booming tourism sector. It has also delighted marine experts and local officials.

Provincial Fisheries Administration director Em Phea told The Post on Sunday that the rare and peaceful whale sharks – the only extant member of the family Rhincodontidae – were spotted in the Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem area several weeks ago and sightings continue.

‘Completely harmless’

“The whale sharks are large, but they are completely harmless to humans. They are filter feeders. They eat plankton – such as krill and fish eggs – small nektonic life – including small squid or fish – and phytoplankton – such as algae and other marine plant material.

“Whale sharks appear mostly in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. They often attract many tourists, especially underwater divers. These types of shark do not attack people,” he said.

Phea said whale sharks can reach up to 18m long, weigh as much as 45.5 tonnes and have a lifespan of around 70 years. However, most weigh about 10-15 tonnes and average about 10-12m in length.

Eou Vibol, the head of Preah Sihanouk province’s tourism office based on the mainland coast, told The Post he was delighted with the appearance of the gentle giants in Cambodian waters.

“If we can protect and preserve them, I believe these whale sharks can help attract more tourists to visit our coastal areas,” he said.

Preah Sihanouk governor Yun Min on Sunday called for villagers, fishermen and local and international tourists to help protect the whale sharks after they were sighted once again near Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem on Saturday morning.

He said he too hoped the appearance of the sharks, the world’s largest living fish, would attract more tourists to the coast.