From above, the constellations on a whale shark’s back almost appear to glow against the fathomless depths. Every time I swim with these extraordinary animals, I feel as if I am drifting among living galaxies. It seems fitting that the algorithm biologists use to help track whale shark behavior is a modified version of what NASA uses to map and study the heavens. Whale sharks can reach over well 30 ft long and cover thousands of miles in a single year, voyaging across the world with their yawning mouths scooping up tiny microorganisms. Years of overfishing, pollution, and poaching have decimated their numbers, landing them on the endangered species list. But recent, ethically-conducted ecotourism operations and the expansion of marine protected areas have sparked hope for the future of our ocean’s biggest fish. Photographed with my @SonyAlpha A7RIII #sonyambassador #SonyPartner, #SonyAlpha #SonyArtisans #internationalwhalesharkday #whalesharks