Flight of the Whale sharks

Monster sharks can execute underwater “flight” moves that would have put some fighter pilots to shame, two researchers announced this week.

Normally seen cruising slowly at the surface, the whale shark, which does not harm humans, can transform in the deep, hurling itself into a swift, steep dive like a pilot, soaring up and then down again in a series of great bounds, said researcher Rory Wilson of Swansea University in the Wales.

“It is like the way a bird dives, then soars, using its momentum and gravity to conserve as much energy as possible. It flies like a bird — but in this case, a bird as large as a bus!” Wilson said. Such behavior has never been observed in a fish before, he said.

“For the first time, we have an insight into what it is that these magnificent creatures get up to when they are out of sight of humans — and it isn’t what we expected”

From Livescience.com: Read more