Most whale sharks in the Philippines gather in the warm waters of Donsol, Sorsogon every summer where they frolic and feed near the surface, not frightened by the humans who intrude into their domain for the chance at that hallelujah moment, when you come face to face with a large-mouthed behemoth that has no intention to do you harm. They may be the largest sharks, but they have the tiniest teeth. They eat little else aside from krill (a small shrimplike planktonic crustacean).

I had several of those hallelujah moments a couple of summers ago, diving into the sea with just a mask and snorkel, my guide pushing me towards the 40-foot creature with the white spots in the murky distance. It's scary at first because of its size. Its gentle movements assure you you're safe, and then you're overcome by gratitude -- that you once shared the same space on the same earth at the same moment with such a huge animal. The species has been around 60 million years, but may not be around much longer, or at least in the numbers that allow this kind of play time in coastal waters. People no longer kill them in Donsol, but they still do in other places.

The above baby whale shark was found in shallow waters back in May 2005 within the Apo Reef Natural Park. Good thing conservationists were nearby and local residents have developed the instinct not to kill wild things. The baby, nicknamed Mini-me, was measured, photographed, then released on the same day it was caught.

Thank you to the World Wildlife Fund for sending me the picture and for trying to save our seas.