A whale shark, the largest fish in the world, was spotted recently near Chinna Rushikonda coast, Andhra Pradesh. Scuba divers and marine experts are excited as the 10-meter-long giant swam calmly near a school of fish. Dive instructor Vysakh Sivarajan called it “a moment that redefined his understanding” after eight years of diving. "You don’t expect to see an animal of that scale often," he said. This is the first close whale shark sighting reported by the diving community here. Whale sharks migrate along India’s coast but sightings in the Bay of Bengal are rare. Winter currents bring plankton and fish closer to shore, attracting these filter feeders. Sadly, this season also sees whale shark strandings on beaches like Yarada and Pudimadaka. Priyanka Vedula from East Coast Conservation Team explained, “Most strandings happen due to by-catch in beach seine fishing.” Rescuing these 4-5 tonne mammals is hard but local awareness is growing. Fishing communities now know whale sharks are protected by law, under India's Wildlife Protection Act and IUCN’s endangered list. Whale sharks return seasonally from October to March along Andhra’s coast, including Visakhapatnam and Kakinada. Rising mechanised fishing and nylon nets raise risks for these gentle giants. ECCT’s Marine Megafauna Stranding Response programme trains locals to spot and report stranded animals quickly. Documentation of sightings and strandings is vital as this region’s marine life is less studied than India’s west coast. For scuba divers, the whale shark sighting has sparked a fresh interest in citizen science. Dive Adda founder Bhadram Rasamsetty said, “It’s not simply about recreation any more. Every dive can contribute to understanding and protecting the diversity we have in our oceans.”