http://www.galapagoswhaleshark.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2:track-of-all-tagged-animals&catid=1:lastest&Itemid=22

I guess it’s fairly well known? I can’t be 100% certain those were the graphs shown but he showed graphs from tagged animals tagged in the Galapagos and heading west. (Rather sadly some of the tracks he showed us went on a straight line to asian ports indicating an animal hunted.) Our trip was in July this year.

I’ll email you the name of the naturalist separately. I’m unsure of his qualifications as a naturalist but we were told all the dive guides on Galapagos liveaboards were trained as naturalists (it wasn’t made clear if this was a few day long course or much longer Masters level or further study).

Thanks for the clarification about the difference between a constellation and what we saw. The idea that they’re passing in single file on their way through fits exactly what we observed… though it does make me wonder how many individuals there must be. Large numbers I guess if we’re just hopping in and seeing at least three new individuals every time (in not-so-great visibility). They were present at Wolf too but fewer seen. However, I’m a statistician by training so I know I shouldn’t try to extrapolate much from a small sample.

Richard you’re absolutely right. Darwin’s Arch is one of 3 oceanic islands where big presumptively-pregnant females turn up with some regularity, and your experience of them was typical. We wouldn’t consider that a constellation because it seems like the ladies are using it as some sort of oceanic way-point; as you noted they aren’t feeding and seem to pass through in a sort of single file. Sounds like your guide knows something the scientific community does not, because whale shark pupping has never been observed; if you’re willing to share contact details for the operator, I would love to follow up. you can reach me here: http://alistairdove.com/contact/. Thanks for your comment!

The females were pregnant but not feeding. The naturalist on our boat told us that they actually give birth 100s of km to the west of Galapagos so I have no idea why they gathered there. They were quite obviously not feeding (mouths firmly closed the whole time) and didn’t appear to be using it as a cleaning station (they were in the blue — in contrast to the shoals of hammerheads using it as a cleaning station who were closer in to the rocks).