Range
Found throughout the world's oceans in temperate and tropical waters, most commonly in a global band around the equator between 30° to 40° latitude (2).
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View a distribution map for this species at UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.
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Habitat
The whale shark inhabits shallow coastal areas as well as the open ocean. This species prefers warm water, with surface temperature between 21° to 30° centigrade (5), but can tolerate water temperatures experienced on deep dives (over 1,000 metres) as low as 3° centigrade (7).