Gujarat coast is breeding area of whale sharks: study

Gujarat coastal region is a breeding area of the whale sharks, the largest species of fish on the planet, a study by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) says.
"The discovery and reporting of four neonatal (pup) whale sharks has confirmed that the Gujarat coast is indeed a breeding area of whale sharks," according to the study report titled 'Gujarat's Gentle Giant; Conservation of Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) in Gujarat'.
The report was released here today on the occasion of International Whale Shark Day.
Four whale shark pups have been found off Sutrapada coast in Junagadh district since March last year.

It indicates that the region is not just a whale shark 'aggregating site', but also an important 'pupping ground', the report says.
"All caught pups seemed to be between 1 and 3 months old - the size of an arm - indicating that the fish may be breeding and definitely pupping off the Gujarat coast," says the report.

In March 2013, a young pup was caught in the net of a local fisherman called Mohan Solanki in Sutrapada tehsil in Junagadh district, which was the first time WTI team found evidence that whale sharks may be breeding in the area.

Solanki released the pup before reporting it to WTI.
As per the report, the fishermen themselves started approaching WTI with information on the pups and within one month from the discovery of the first pup, WTI had reports of four pups off Gujarat coastline.