{"id":193785,"date":"2026-07-15T22:38:34","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T04:08:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=193785"},"modified":"2026-07-15T22:38:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T04:08:34","slug":"world-shark-day-highlights-whale-sharks-role-in-protecting-red-sea-ecosystem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=193785","title":{"rendered":"World Shark Day highlights whale shark\u2019s role in protecting Red Sea ecosystem"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n    RIYADH: World Shark Day is drawing attention to the crucial role sharks play in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems, with the Red Sea providing an important refuge for several species, including the endangered whale shark, according to a report carried by the Saudi Press Agency.<\/p>\n<p>    One of the Red Sea\u2019s most significant marine habitats lies at Shi\u2019b Habil, a submerged coral reef about four kilometers off the coast of Al-Lith Governorate, nearly 200 kilometers south of Jeddah.<\/p>\n<p>    Each year during April and May, warming waters and abundant plankton attract seasonal gatherings of whale sharks to the reef, creating one of the world\u2019s best-documented aggregation sites for the species.<\/p>\n<p>    The site gained international scientific prominence after a local dive operator guided researchers to the waters off Al-Lith, leading to a series of studies documenting the unique seasonal congregation.<\/p>\n<p>    <strong>Rare seasonal gathering<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>    Researchers say Shi\u2019b Habil stands out for the distinctly seasonal nature of its whale shark aggregation and for its unusually balanced mix of male and female sharks \u2014 a rare characteristic among whale shark aggregation sites worldwide, where one sex typically dominates.<\/p>\n<p>    The whale shark, the world\u2019s largest fish, is a gentle filter feeder that consumes plankton and poses no threat to humans.<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align:center\">\n<figure class=\"image\" style=\"display:inline-block\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.arabnews.com\/sites\/default\/files\/pictures\/July\/20\/2026\/shark2.jpg\" width=\"1200\"\/><br \/><figcaption>The whale shark, the world\u2019s largest fish, consumes plankton and poses no threat to humans. (SPA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>    The Red Sea is home to a diverse range of shark species, including gray reef sharks and hammerheads, alongside whale sharks.<\/p>\n<p>    Far from being merely part of the marine landscape, sharks are regarded as key indicators of ecosystem health. As apex predators, many species help regulate prey populations, maintain ecological balance and support the long-term health of coral reef ecosystems.<\/p>\n<p>    Their continued presence is considered an important measure of the condition of the marine environment.<\/p>\n<p>    <strong>Conservation efforts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>    SPA said scientific research and regulatory measures are playing a central role in protecting sharks and their habitats while ensuring sustainable use of marine resources.<\/p>\n<p>    The Saudi Red Sea Authority oversees efforts to balance marine tourism and recreational activities with the conservation of fragile ecosystems that support whale sharks and other marine life.<\/p>\n<p>    The whale shark\u2019s annual return to the Red Sea highlights the importance of preserving marine biodiversity and strengthening scientific and regulatory initiatives to safeguard the region\u2019s marine environment for future generations.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.arabnews.pk\/node\/2651090\/saudi-arabia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>RIYADH: World Shark Day is drawing attention to the crucial role sharks play in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems, with the Red Sea providing an important refuge for several species, including the endangered whale shark, according to a report carried by the Saudi Press Agency. One of the Red Sea\u2019s most significant marine habitats lies at&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":193786,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-193785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4731725-445637135.jpg","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":196554,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=196554","url_meta":{"origin":193785,"position":0},"title":"Indian seafarer killed after ship attacked in Black Sea; MEA condemns incident | India News","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Indian seafarer killed after ship attacked in Black Sea; MEA condemns incident NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Friday condemned the attack on the commercial vessel MV OMORFI in the Black Sea that killed an Indian national, calling attacks on commercial shipping 'unacceptable' and urging all parties to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;National News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784916377_photo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784916377_photo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784916377_photo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784916377_photo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784916377_photo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":196277,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=196277","url_meta":{"origin":193785,"position":1},"title":"As oil soars, experts watch Red Sea tankers for clarity on Houthi blockade | Houthis News","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 23, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"EDITOR'S ANALYSISHouthi blockade for now is shaping who moves Saudi crude, not whether it moves, analysts say, even as oil prices soar. As oil prices hit $100 a barrel on Thursday, experts say they are watching to see which vessels Yemen\u2019s Houthis allow to pass through in the Red Sea\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;National News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-07-15T122836Z_97536865_RC20HKAGF0XM_RTRMADP_3_IRAN-CRISIS-YEMEN-RED-SEA-1784818747.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-07-15T122836Z_97536865_RC20HKAGF0XM_RTRMADP_3_IRAN-CRISIS-YEMEN-RED-SEA-1784818747.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-07-15T122836Z_97536865_RC20HKAGF0XM_RTRMADP_3_IRAN-CRISIS-YEMEN-RED-SEA-1784818747.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-07-15T122836Z_97536865_RC20HKAGF0XM_RTRMADP_3_IRAN-CRISIS-YEMEN-RED-SEA-1784818747.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-07-15T122836Z_97536865_RC20HKAGF0XM_RTRMADP_3_IRAN-CRISIS-YEMEN-RED-SEA-1784818747.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-07-15T122836Z_97536865_RC20HKAGF0XM_RTRMADP_3_IRAN-CRISIS-YEMEN-RED-SEA-1784818747.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":197797,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=197797","url_meta":{"origin":193785,"position":2},"title":"A piece of Europe 5 km down, heated to 240\u00b0C and later returned to the surface. 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