Two mouths - stock photo

Two whale sharks facing the camera as they attempt to feed on the surface. There are thought to be about 30-40 resident whale sharks in the Cenderawasih Bay area that feed by sucking on the fishing nets hanging below these floating fishing platforms, called bagans in the local language. The whales extract plankton, tiny fish and other nutrients by sucking on the fishing nets. They also make a nuisance of themselves, often demanding to be fed by the fishermen, who sometimes feed them in the hope they will go away.