The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest fish species in the world. Some areas with regular appearances of whale sharks every year are in the waters of the Cenderawasih Bay in Papua, Talisayan in East Kalimantan, Probolinggo in East Java and Botubarani in Gorontalo. However, the accessibility to see whale sharks in Gorontalo is the easiest.
Figure 1. Botubarani Whale Shark (Photo: Adiwinata Solihin).
Figure 2. Botubarani whale sharks can be seen from fishing boats.
Figure 3. Whale sharks and free diver.
There are 21 individual whale sharks that appear in Botubarani. The average total length is 3.5 - 6 meters, and is categorized as juvenile or immature individuals. The location of the Botubarani whale shark is 100 meters from the beach.
Whale sharks in Indonesia have been fully protected through the Decree of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia number 18 of 2013. The Gorontalo regional government has designated whale shark tourism destinations as protected areas. This is stated in the Regional Regulation on the Zoning Plan for Coastal Zone and Small Islands (RZWP3K).