As the hotels in Eilat vie with each other for every overnight stay and the city's attractions are shifting into high gear for the summer tourism season, a three-meter (10-foot)-long whale shark has been spotted in the bay these past two days.
Passengers on tourist boats were surprised to spot the visitor.
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Yoram Hemo of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority said, "The shark seen in Eilat Bay is a young female approximately three meters song. These sharks aren't a danger to humans because they feed off plankton, rather than flesh. These are very gentle sharks and they should be given a wide berth and not harassed, touched, or disturbed while they search for food."
Video: Shay Alush / Israel Nature and Parks Authority
Whale sharks arrive in Eilat every summer, mostly because of the warmer water. Whale sharks are considered the friendliest shark species in the world and do not pose a danger to humans.
Whale sharks can reach a length of 12 meters (40 feet) and weigh up to 20 tons.
