Whale Shark Organic Cotton Unisex T-Shirt

Description

Life without whale sharks? Take a short walk off a long pier!

Did you know that sharks are older trees? Yet despite living in the world’s oceans for around 400 million years more than we’ve roamed the earth, humans are putting the whale shark’s existence under serious threat.

Slip into our vegan-friendly organic whale shark t-shirts and look good while doing your bit to help this endangered species. 

Responsibly sourced and environmentally-friendly, 50% of all the profits made from this super-stylish casual wear goes to Maldives Whale Shark Research, a non-profit organization dedicated the conservation and scientific research of these captivating creatures.

Order before 2pm GMT for same-day dispatch.

Key features

• A classic, contemporary cut that suits all shapes and sizes
• Made from 100% organic cotton, available in a range of colours
• 100% vegan and toxin-free animal design print process 
• Print quality that lasts  
• Next-day delivery available

The polka-dot powerhouse that needs our help

Growing up to the size of a double-decker bus and weighing up to 20 tonnes with beautiful polka-dot skin, whale sharks are the largest known species of fish. They are also completely harmless, preferring to feed on plankton, small fish, and krill.

Thanks to their preference for warmer waters, you can swim with these graceful giants in waters off Indonesia, Mexico, Australia, the Maldives, and more. However, without our help, this one-of-a-kind experience could be lost within a generation.

Meet the whale shark 

Scientific Name: Rhincodon typus

Type: Cartilaginous fish (skeleton of cartilage rather than bone)

Diet: Filter feeder (eats plankton including copepods, krill, and fish eggs)

Status: Endangered

Population: Exact population unknown

Habitat: Warm oceans

Location: The Maldives, Indonesia, Western Australia, Panama, and more

Threats:

• Bycatch
• Poaching 
• Collisions with boats

As the largest fish in a massive pond, whale sharks have very few natural predators and sit on the endangered list entirely because of human activity in the sea. 

Bycatch is the term for sealife getting accidentally in fishing nets, and it’s the whale shark’s number one threat. At the same time, sharks are highly sought after for their fins, meat, and oil, making illegal poaching disappointingly common. And feeding in busy waters means whale sharks are prone to colliding with boats and sustaining injuries from propellers. 

Facts for your friends

1. Can you waterproof laminate my telegram from The Queen? Whale sharks can live up to 100 years in the wild.
2. We’re gonna need to build an extension. Whale sharks can have as many as 300 pups per litter. The eggs live inside the mother before the pupe are birthed into the water.
3. Whale, shark, shark, whale? Despite the confusing name, whale sharks are not whales, they’re sharks. Got it? The name comes from the fact that they are one of few sharks species that are filter feeders, just like whales.
4. Time to pick up The Bat Phone. Unlike most marine creatures, sharks use echolocation to communicate and detect pray – just like, you guessed it, bats.

Meet the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP) 

MWSRP is a research-based conservation charity that is dedicated to studying the whale shark and building community-focussed conservation projects in the Maldives and the wider Indian Ocean. Starting as a scientific expedition in 2006, the organisation is now a full-time project with one simple goal: to advance the field of whale shark knowledge and to advocate for sound conservation policy in the Maldives

Treat yourself to a whale shark t-shirt today. It’s good for you, and it’s good for them too!