Hopes Whale Shark Festival Will Educate

May 4, 2006

Release from: ABC (Australia)

The annual Ningaloo Whale Shark Festival kicks off this evening in Exmouth.

For the first time the event will run over four days, compared to one day in the past.

The festival features sports, games, food and display stalls, and whale shark tours.

The chairwoman of the organising committee, Branka King, says the festival's objective is to bring together government departments, industry and community members to enhance education about the whale shark and its environment.

"Not a lot is known about the whale shark," Ms King said.

"The whale shark is a harmless shark that we can actually swim with and it grows between four and 18 metres long, although the ones that hang out at Ningaloo Reef between Coral Bay and Exmouth they range in length from two metres up to about 11 or 12 metres."