Meet Sofia the
Whale Shark
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Sofia is an adult female whale shark, about 40 ft (12 m) in length, that we tagged in the Galapagos Islands in July 2022.
Since then, she’s swum over 4,500 miles through the Galapagos archipelago and Eastern Pacific, last heard from in the seasonal whale shark feeding area off Peru.
Adult whale sharks are true ocean wanderers, rarely approaching the coast – we’ve also tracked them diving over a mile deep – and our research program in the Galapagos Islands is one of the only places where large female sharks are consistently seen.
1min VIDEO: During this project, we conducted the first-ever ultrasound scans of wild whale sharks, collected blood samples and attached satellite transmitters to large female whale sharks to find out more about their reproduction & movements.
BBC. Galapagos marine reserve: Conservationists hail expansion
Washington Post. Watch a diver perform the first undersea ultrasound on the world’s biggest shark
ScienceNews. ‘Jet packs’ and ultrasounds could reveal secrets of pregnant whale sharks
MONGABAY. Uterine implants and underwater ultrasounds aim to demystify shark births
FORBES. Galapagos Whale Sharks Undergo Ultrasounds For First Time
Scuba Diver Magazine. Galapagos Whale Shark Research
DIVE Magazine. Whale shark reproductive ultrasound study published
“Our work has led to whale sharks, and their habitats, receiving protection in multiple countries.”
Dr. Simon J. Pierce
Co-Founder / Principal Scientist
Dr Simon Pierce is a pioneering researcher and global leader in whale shark conservation. Simon co-authored the first-ever scientific textbook on whale sharks in 2021, led the recent global conservation assessment of the species, and serves as a member of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group.
Your whale shark adoption helps us to research and protect these globally endangered sharks.
What have we achieved recently?
Global conservation assessment leadership: Our team played a crucial role in classifying whale sharks as endangered on the IUCN Red List.
International protection secured: We successfully ensured whale shark protection within the 126 signatory countries to the United Nation's Convention on Migratory Species.
Ecotourism standards development: We've helped create and implement best-practice standards for whale shark ecotourism in multiple countries.
National capacity building: We've enhanced national capacity for whale shark conservation and research in the developing world.
First scientific book authored: We contributed to the knowledge base on whale sharks by writing the first comprehensive scientific book on the species.
Watch MMF on location.
