Whale sharks can grow up to 40 feet (12 meters) long, but on average they grow to 18 to 32.8 feet (5.5 to 10 m) and weigh 20.6 tons. That’s about the size of a school bus.

Whale shark females produce eggs, but the young hatch inside of the mother instead of in the water like most fish. Then, the female gives birth to about 300 live young. Many never make it to maturity, though.
Whale sharks have a long childhood. At the age of 25, the offspring are ready to have their own young. They may live 100 to 150 years.
Whale sharks aren’t the fastest swimmers, reaching speeds no higher than 5 kmph. They swim by moving their bodies from side to side.

Its head is broad and flattened. Unlike most sharks, the whale shark's mouth is nearly at the tip of its nose instead of underneath the snout.
Inside its mouth are several hundred rows of tiny, hook-shaped teeth. Although it has a mouthful of teeth, the whale shark doesn't use them for eating.

Another unique trait of the whale shark is the distinctive pattern of light-colored spots and stripes on its back. Its back is bluish grey to brown with thousands of cream colored spots scattered in a pattern believed to be unique to each shark, like a human's fingerprint.