In a dramatic moment, an irritated whale shark slapped a snorkeller with its tail in Cebu.
Maria Vanessa Bernardo-Tancueco was diving next to the enormous sea creature, butanding, when the animal suddenly flipped its tail, touching the startled holidaymaker in Oslob, Cebu.
Tancueco can be seen thrashing her legs to resurface in the water while the whale shark swims away behind her on October 13.
“While we were underwater, I accidentally touched the whale shark’s tail. It was completely unintentional,” she said.
Tancueco posted the moment on TikTok where it garnered more than 9,700 views, 46 likes and five comments.
“Unintentional touch is okay but to touch the whale sharks intentionally is a big NO NO,” she captioned her post.
@sadpotatowantstobehappy Unintentional touch is okay but to touch the whale sharks intentionally is a big NO NO. #fyp #whaleshark #oslob ♬ Jet2 Advert – ✈️A7-BBH | MAN 🇬🇧
Whale sharks are known for their gentle nature. Despite their enormous size, they are filter feeders, mainly consuming plankton and small fish.
They are generally curious and non-aggressive toward people, often approaching divers and snorkelers without causing harm.
—Newsflare via Reuters Connect; with Rosette Adel
