See ‘priceless’ moment massive sea creature with over 3,000 teeth approaches boater
Carlos Ochoa was on a tour off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, when a massive creature approached the boat.
That’s when a whale shark emerged from the water, a Sept. 18 video shared on Instagram by the tour agency, Silver Shark Adventures, showed.
The huge, spotted creature — part of the largest species of fish in the world — is seen in the video lifting its head out of the water as Ochoa leans over the edge of the boat.
“Watching my longtime friend (Carlos) getting this incredible moment with a whale shark today was priceless,” Silver Shark Adventures wrote on Instagram. “Everyday here in the bay of angels is full of wildlife surprises.”
Whale sharks are the largest fish known to have existed on Earth, according to the Georgia Aquarium. Their average length is between 18 and 32 feet. They are known to live in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and tropical Atlantic.
The massive filter-feeding creatures have unusually large mouths that can be up to 4 feet long, experts said.
Although the sharks do not use their teeth to feed, they have about 300 rows of tiny teeth on each jaw, totaling about 3,000 tiny teeth in their mouths, according to National Geographic.
The “gentle giants” are distinguishable by their white spots, which are unique to each individual, similar to human fingerprints, World Wildlife Fund experts said.
Social media users shared their awe at the encounter.
“This is so lovely,” one person wrote on Instagram. “I live in Baja and still haven’t experienced this magic!”
“A wonderful friend,” another person commented. “Thank (you) for (your) admiration and respect.”
“Such an angel!” another commenter said.
The Bay of Angels is about 330 miles southeast of San Diego, California.
This story was originally published October 5, 2023 at 10:05 AM with the headline "See ‘priceless’ moment massive sea creature with over 3,000 teeth approaches boater."
