The real story
At Kwatisore in Cenderawasih Bay, fishermen live for weeks at a time on bagan, floating platforms that shine lamps into the water at night to attract ikan puri, tiny silverside fish. Whale sharks learned to come for the same fish, and instead of chasing them off, the crews share some of the catch. Papuan fishermen call them gurano bintang, 'star sharks', and see them as a sign of good fortune.
The whale shark is the biggest fish in the world, yet it filter-feeds on plankton and small fish and is harmless to people. Its spot pattern is unique, like a fingerprint, so researchers can recognise individuals from photos; around 160 have been identified in the bay. Since 2002 the area has been part of Teluk Cenderawasih National Park, Indonesia's largest marine national park, at about 1.45 million hectares.
