Year 10 Science

Whale Shark Biology and Ecology

http://www.whalesharkproject.org/

So what do you know about whale sharks? This website has an array of information about whale sharks.

Your job is to put together a Powerpoint presentation or write a report for a popular Scientific journal about the biology and ecology of whale sharks, that will be informative and educational.

Your presentation should include information which includes:

Biology

• the Scientific classification of whale sharks including scientific name
• why they are classed as sharks and not whales (what features they have)
• their distribution, the types of habitats they inhabit and whether they are migratory
• how they feed and what they feed on
• other interesting behaviours
• reproduction
• a labelled diagram of a whale shark including gill slits, the different fins

Threats

• pressures/threats to their survival

Conservation

• what research is being done and how does it contribute to conservation of these “charismatic megafauna?
• what is being done to protect them – from a national point of view
• is there an International strategy? – if so what is it?
• why there is a need to have an International strategy when the whale sharks at Ningaloo are protected?

Bibliography

You need to have a correctly formatted bibliography that may include:

• web-sites and web-pages (make a list as you go along or put them in a special folder in your favourites)
• books
• journals
• newspaper articles
• magazines

Your finished product should be saved into the “Hand in Work” folder. You will present your Powerpoint or report to the whole class when I get back to school.