International Whale Shark Day: The World’s First “Conservation Bus” Hits the Road in Kaohsiung

▲The 2013 Whale Shark Conservation Bus sets off in Kaohsiung as its first global stop. (Photo / Provided by Kaohsiung City Government)

Travel Center / Taipei Report

August 30th is International Whale Shark Day, established in 2008 by the Mexican Whale Shark International Conference. It aims to promote the sustainable survival of whale sharks through awareness, protection, and conservation education, while also awakening global consciousness and action for marine ecological protection. The 2013 Whale Shark Conservation Bus campaign made Kaohsiung its global starting point, jointly organized by the Kaohsiung City Government, Wildlife21, and the Life Conservation Association, with enthusiastic participation from high school students at the German Bonn International School and the Yida International School in Kaohsiung. These students come from Germany, the UK, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Bolivia, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Lee Yong-de stated that Kaohsiung is a maritime city with a strong environmental consciousness, placing great importance on balanced and sustainable development between ecological preservation and urban growth. As the largest fish species on Earth, an increasing number of shark species have been listed as endangered. The launch of the world’s first “Whale Shark Conservation Bus” campaign in Kaohsiung hopes to inspire action starting from the city and from individuals. The event reiterated its slogan: conserve sharks for sustainable survival, reject overconsumption of shark products, and oppose the artificial captivity of whale sharks.


▲A total of 100 buses will join the “Whale Shark Conservation” awareness campaign. (Photo / Provided by Kaohsiung City Government)

Rebecca, CEO of Wildlife21, representing the main and co-organizers, stated that the declining shark catch year after year is an indisputable fact. Shark resources have reached a critical level, with their populations facing severe threats. Sharks grow slowly, take a long time to reach sexual maturity, and have lower reproductive capabilities compared to bony fish. Given their already low reproduction rate, unchecked human consumption could eventually drive them to extinction. At the same time, as the ocean's top predators, a sharp decline in shark populations endangers the balance of marine ecosystems and food chains, leading to issues such as jellyfish blooms. Deep-sea fish can accumulate heavy metals, and shark fins contain relatively high levels of mercury toxins. Craving the collagen in shark fins may instead lead to ingesting more heavy metals, negatively impacting health—making shark conservation not only about international cooperation to protect species, but also about consumers reducing their consumption of shark products.

Whale sharks grow and reproduce even more slowly and have been listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) as a protected species. Taiwan also announced a complete ban on their capture in 2008. While threats from mass consumption have been somewhat alleviated, their graceful appearance makes them a prime target for aquariums. From the perspectives of animal welfare and life education, unnecessary harm to animals should be avoided, and improper live display methods should be abandoned—especially for large-sized species, which are unsuitable for artificial captivity.