Aerial photographs of whale sharks feeding at the Afuera aggregation in August 2009.

<p><i>Figure 4A</i> was taken from approximately 600 m altitude and shows 220 whale sharks and 4 tourist boats. <i>Figure 4A</i> was taken from lower altitude and shows 68 whale sharks, 1 tourist boats and 2 pairs of tourists snorkeling.</p

Aerial survey effort and whale sharks observed per month between May and September, from 2006 to 2009, in the coastal waters of Quintana Roo, México.

<p>Aerial survey effort and whale sharks observed per month between May and September, from 2006 to 2009, in the coastal waters of Quintana Roo, México.</p

Time series of whale shark observations during the 2009 Afuera whale shark aggregation in the coastal waters of Quintana Roo, México.

<p>Each column represents a single aerial survey.</p

The flight path followed on each aerial survey for whale sharks off the coast of Quintana Roo, México.

<p>The triangular leg to the east of 86°45′W was added to the original survey design to incorporate the newly-discovered Afuera whale shark aggregagtion. Waypoints were marked on GPS instrumentation to ensure accurate repeatability of the same path.</p

Total number or whale sharks and whale sharks per flight, compiled from aerial surveys of the Afuera whale shark aggregation off the coast of Quintana Roo, México between 2005 and 2009.

<p>Total number or whale sharks and whale sharks per flight, compiled from aerial surveys of the Afuera whale shark aggregation off the coast of Quintana Roo, México between 2005 and 2009.</p