Rare sightings expected at second Whale Shark Festival

The 1.5ft shark – named ‘Noomaa’ or Blue Flower by its hosts – was hailed by marine experts as “extremely rare” and a sign that there may have been a change in breeding cycles.

“The sighting of a neonate [newborn] whale shark in the Maldives is hugely exciting because of how rare such encounters are – there has only been a handful of neonate encounters recorded globally,” said Richard Rees, director of the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP).

But whether Noomaa – who could grow up to 12 metres long, and weigh up to 21 tonnes – will be seen again remains a mystery, explained Rees, as little is known about the animals behaviour and breeding patterns.