Whale Shark: 40-Foot-Long Fish Reeled in by Pakistani Fishermen [PHOTOS]

A 40-foot long whale shark was reeled in by fishermen in the port of Karachi, Pakistan, Tuesday, according to the Express Tribune.

The Pakistani newspaper reported that Mehmood Khan, owner of the Charai Fishery, said he heard the whale shark was first seen ten days ago nearly 100 miles from Karachi. When the whale shark was found Tuesday, it was already dead.

As the 40-foot long and six-feet wide whale shark was lifted out of the water by construction cranes, a large crowd gathered on the pier. The creature was sold for 1.7 million rupees or approximately $18,750.

Whale sharks are normally found deep in warm oceans and are currently a threatened species. They are slow-moving filter feeding sharks that primarily eat plankton. ABC News reports that the largest whale shark ever found was 41 feet long and more than 47,000 pounds.

Photo: REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

A man stands on a dead whale shark before it was pulled from the water by cranes as residents gather at Karachi's fish harbor Feb. 7, 2012. A giant whale shark washed ashore near Karachi fisheries harbor on Tuesday and was sold for 1.7 million PKR ($18,758).

Photo: REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

Residents gather as a whale shark is pulled from the water by cranes after it was found dead at Karachi's fish harbor Feb. 7, 2012. A giant whale shark washed ashore near Karachi fisheries harbor on Tuesday and was sold for 1.7 million PKR ($18,758).

Photo: REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

Residents gather as a whale shark is pulled from the water by cranes after it was found dead at Karachi's fish harbor.

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