A Unique To The Deep Gentle Giant
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.
A Unique to the Deep Gentle Giant
By: A.X. Bueno
Sharks are a class of sea creature that I love
There’s one out there though that measures well above
Considering it’s supposed to be the largest fish currently in the sea
The whale shark
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
What intrigues me more is their diet and how gentle they are and can be
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
It also eats small fish but not in quite as large a quantity
Being a filter feeder means it’s one of only three
If you’re wondering the other two shark species that stick to eating creatures too small to see
That would be the basking and megamouth sharks which are interesting sharks as well
But back to the whale shark there’s plenty still to tell
Like how they’re a tropical fish that can migrate pretty far
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
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
But they do give live births being ovoviviparous, that we do know
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
Their pups start small and are abandoned at birth at a disadvantage compared to their born bigger peers
They also birth 300 at once all to have a survival rate of sadly 10 percent
Now I don’t want my last lines about these great creatures to be ones that inspire tears
They’ve got unique white spots and stripes that represent
A one of a kind style of marking like a fingerprint
They’ve also got those wide mouths that make them so recognizable too
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
But with a creature as majestic and captivating as this there’ll always be info anew