See it: New York waters welcome 2 massive visitors as whale sharks spotted off coast
Despite their monster size, they are gentle giants and will not hurt you.
SEE IT: Whale shark found by boaters in New York
A massive whale shark was discovered cruising through the deep waters of New York this week, making for an unlikely encounter.
NEW YORK – A massive surprise discovery was made in New York's waters when a boater encountered two whale sharks swimming at the surface on Monday.
While cruising through the ocean observing Shearwater birds and scooping sargassum, people on an American Princess Cruises adventure out of Brooklyn stumbled across two massive whale sharks, one of which was caught on camera.
These creatures are typically found in tropical and warm-temperature seas around the world, but can be found as far north as Massachusetts, according to the U.S. Department of Interior.
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Despite being massive and having 3,000 tiny teeth, this fish feeds on the smallest prey because it is a filter feeder.
Whale shark found in the waters of New York.
(American Princess Cruises / Chris St. Lawrence)
These fish are the largest in the world and can grow up to 40 feet long and weigh up to 20,000 pounds.
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Despite their monster size, they are gentle giants and will not hurt you.
"They feed by swimming with their mouths open or creating a giant suction, gathering food from the water as it passes through their gills," the U.S. Department of Interior said.
MALDIVES - JANUARY 26: A view of a whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the worldâs largest shark and an iconic marine species of the region, is now rarely seen in the Maldives, on January 26, 2026. Generally non-aggressive toward humans, these giants can grow over 18 meters and feed on plankton. Their population has halved in recent years, and they are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, under protection.
((Photo by Tahsin Ceylan/Anadolu via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
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Whale sharks are highly migratory, moving to warm waters worldwide except the Mediterranean, and living along coastlines and in open waters.