# A Unique To The Deep Gentle Giant

Author: Apolarbear17
Tags: Appreciation, Favorite Shark Species, For Shark Week, Gentle Giant, Nature, Poetry, Whale shark

Going back to poems that I think align more with interests around here. This is a poem talking about sharks, specifically whale sharks which are my favorite shark. Originally posted this in August of last year and it was meant for shark week at the time.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; **A Unique to the Deep Gentle Giant** &nbsp;  
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; **By: A.X. Bueno** &nbsp;  
  
Sharks are a class of sea creature that I love&nbsp;  
There’s one out there though that measures well above&nbsp;  
Considering it’s supposed to be the largest fish currently in the sea&nbsp;  
The whale shark&nbsp;  
Although there’s more to it than size that captivates and enthuses me  
Although 61 feet and 60 tons at their known largest is quite the benchmark&nbsp;  
What intrigues me more is their diet and how gentle they are and can be&nbsp;  
Being so massive yet eating only the smallest things in the big blue sea  
It’s a filter feeder eating mainly plankton as it swims carefree&nbsp;  
It also eats small fish but not in quite as large a quantity&nbsp;  
Being a filter feeder means it’s one of only three&nbsp;  
If you’re wondering the other two shark species that stick to eating creatures too small to see&nbsp;  
That would be the basking and megamouth sharks which are interesting sharks as well&nbsp;  
But back to the whale shark there’s plenty still to tell&nbsp;  
Like how they’re a tropical fish that can migrate pretty far&nbsp;  
Capable of migrating thousands of miles in the warm waters for many a reason  
Those reasons and the way they cross oceans are interesting and bizarre&nbsp;  
As well as mysterious considering one of them may be breeding season  
Not much is known about whale shark mating or where exactly for it they go&nbsp;&nbsp;  
But they do give live births being ovoviviparous, that we do know&nbsp;  
And that’s only the barely known beginnings and one piece of their lives  
With that said though despite having a lifespan that can go up to 100 years  
Plenty of whale sharks to adulthood don’t manage to survive&nbsp;  
Their pups start small and are abandoned at birth at a disadvantage compared to their born bigger peers&nbsp;  
They also birth 300 at once all to have a survival rate of sadly 10 percent&nbsp;  
Now I don’t want my last lines about these great creatures to be ones that inspire tears&nbsp;  
They’ve got unique white spots and stripes that represent&nbsp;  
A one of a kind style of marking like a fingerprint  
They’ve also got those wide mouths that make them so recognizable too&nbsp;  
And I hope it’s now clear why this shark puts in my eye an extended glint  
There's plenty here that I’ve already gone through&nbsp;  
But with a creature as majestic and captivating as this there’ll always be info anew

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/nLr48DAe