Seasonal trends in whale shark Rhincodon typus sightings in an established tourism site in the Gulf of California, Mexico.

The number of individual whale shark Rhincodon typus sightings registered October 2015-March 2018 in Bahia de La Paz, Mexico, ranged from 73 to 129 animals per season (total 1662), with the majority of them identified as males. Density plot maps showed high correlations in sightings between sample seasons and revealed potential hotspot areas. Our study provides an essential baseline of information for the management of whale shark conservation and the associated touristic activities in the region. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[1]  F. Galván‐Magaña,et al.  Whale shark Rhincodon typus strandings in the Gulf of California, Mexico. , 2018, Journal of fish biology.

[2]  A. Marshall,et al.  Monitoring the effects of tourism on whale shark Rhincodon typus behaviour in Mozambique , 2014, Oryx.

[3]  D. Macías,et al.  Whale shark Rhincodon typus populations along the west coast of the Gulf of California and implications for management , 2012 .

[4]  D. Rowat,et al.  A review of the biology, fisheries and conservation of the whale shark Rhincodon typus. , 2012, Journal of fish biology.

[5]  R. A. Reijns,et al.  A computer‐aided program for pattern‐matching of natural marks on the spotted raggedtooth shark Carcharias taurus , 2007 .

[6]  S. Eckert,et al.  Foraging ecology of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) within Bahía de Los Angeles, Baja California Norte, México , 2007 .

[7]  A. Munguía-Vega,et al.  Variations of the mitochondrial control region sequence in whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) from the Gulf of California, Mexico , 2007 .

[8]  Á. Quirós.  Tourist compliance to a Code of Conduct and the resulting effects on whale shark (Rhincodon typus) behavior in Donsol, Philippines , 2007 .

[9]  D. Rowat,et al.  Seychelles: A case study of community involvement in the development of whale shark ecotourism and its socio-economic impact , 2007 .

[10]  M. Orams.  Feeding wildlife as a tourism attraction: a review of issues and impacts , 2002 .

[11]  A. Klimley,et al.  Segregation and foraging ecology of whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, in the southwestern Gulf of California , 2012, Environmental Biology of Fishes.

[12]  Á. Quirós.  Whale shark "ecotourism" in the Philippines and Belize: evaluating conservation and community benefits. , 2005 .

[13]  F. H. Wolfson.  The whale shark, rhiniodon typus smith, 1828, off baja california, mexico (chondrichthyes : rhinodontidae) , 1987 .