'Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi'
Abstract
The whale shark, Rhincodon typus Smith, 1828,
has a circumglobal distribution in tropical and warm
temperate seas. Since May 2003 it has been included
under Appendix II of CITES, making the trade of this
species regulated. The status of this species has
since then been upgraded from “Data deficient” in
1996 to “Vulnerable” in 2000 by the IUCN. Currently
it is protected under Schedule I Part II of the Wildlife
Protection Act of India, 1972
