How does a whale sharks gets it food?

Whale sharks are filter feeders, which means they don't actively chase and hunt prey. Instead, they strain tiny organisms from the water to eat. Here's how they do it:

1. Open wide: Whale sharks have enormous mouths, up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) wide, which they open wide to take in large amounts of water.

2. Filter feast: Inside their mouths are gill rakers, which are bristle-like structures that act like a giant sieve. As water flows over the gill rakers, they trap small organisms like plankton, krill, small fish, and even squid.

3. Swallowing: The whale shark then swallows the water, leaving the trapped food behind. It doesn't chew its food, but instead, the food is broken down in its digestive system.

4. Massive appetite: Whale sharks are very efficient feeders. They can filter up to 6,000 liters (1,585 gallons) of water per hour! This allows them to consume a huge amount of food, making them the largest fish on Earth.

Think of it like a giant vacuum cleaner that sucks up all the delicious, tiny snacks in the ocean!