In March 2026, a scientific expedition was carried out in the western region of the Galápagos Marine Reserve, involving scientists from the Galápagos National Park Directorate, the Galapagos Whale Shark Project, and Universidad San Francisco de Quito, with support from Galapagos Shark Diving, the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund, Metropolitan Touring, and Finch Bay Hotels.
Photo: Martín Narváez
The goal of the expedition was to find and tag whale sharks, an endangered species, in order to better understand and complete knowledge of their migratory route. In Galápagos, whale sharks are commonly observed around Darwin Island between July and November, making it a world-renowned destination for dive tourism, as it is the only known location where mostly adult females are regularly seen. However, sightings have also been reported during the first months of the year around the southern and western islands of the archipelago, and researchers have spent several years trying to determine whether these individuals are connected to those observed near Darwin Island.
Photo: Martín Narváez
During the expedition, researchers successfully attached a satellite tag to a whale shark for the first time in the western region of the marine reserve, between Fernandina and Isabela islands. The female, approximately 6 meters long, was feeding near the surface when the tagging took place. After being tagged, she continued exhibiting the same behavior, remaining near the boat for over an hour. Over the following three weeks, the shark moved throughout the Bolívar Channel, transmitting daily signals that indicated it was spending time near the surface. On March 24, transmissions stopped, but four days later the shark reappeared 24 miles from Wolf Island, neighboring Darwin Island. This provided the first evidence that whale sharks observed in the north during July could be the same individuals using southern waters earlier in the year.
Photo: Martín Narváez
However, the shark did not stop traveling. It continued northward, leaving the Galápagos Marine Reserve, entering international waters, and eventually reaching the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of El Salvador — a journey of 1,200 km in just three weeks. The shark remained in deep waters there for two weeks before beginning its return toward Ecuadorian waters. It is currently crossing the Hermandad Marine Reserve, a marine corridor created specifically to protect migratory species such as sharks.
Whale sharks are threatened by collisions with cargo vessels and incidental fishing, making it essential to understand their movements and identify high-risk areas for their conservation. This finding represents another important piece in understanding the migratory cycle of this iconic species.
