How big does a whale sharks grow?

Answer 1

Whale sharks are the largest fish in the oceans. They are known as gentle giants because they are filter feeders. The average size for a full grown whale shark is 32.8 ft. 20.6 tons.

The largest specimen regarded as accurately recorded was caught on November 11, 1947, near the island of Baba, not far from Karachi, Pakistan. It was 12.65 metres (41.50 ft) long, weighed more than 21.5 tons (47,300 lb), and had a girth of 7 metres (23.0 ft).

Stories exist of vastly larger specimens-quoted lengths of 18 metres (59 ft) are not uncommon in the popular shark literature-but no scientific records exist to support their existence. In 1868 the Irish natural scientist E. Perceval Wright spent time in the Seychelles, during which he managed to obtain several small whale shark specimens, but claimed to have observed specimens in excess of 15 metres (49.2 ft), and tells of reports of specimens surpassing 21 metres (68.9 ft).

In a 1925 publication, Hugh M. Smith describes a huge whale shark caught in a bamboo fish trap in Thailand in 1919. The shark was too heavy to pull ashore, but Smith estimated that the shark was at least 17 metres (56 ft) long, and weighed approximately 37 tons (81,500 lb), which have been exaggerated to an accurate measurement of 17.98 metres (58.99 ft) and weight 43 tonnes in recent years. There have even been claims of whale sharks of up to 23 metres (75 ft). In 1934 a ship named the Maurguani came across a whale shark in the Southern Pacific Ocean, rammed it, and the shark consequently became stuck on the prow of the ship, supposedly with 4.6 metres (15.1 ft) on one side and 12.2 metres (40.0 ft) on the other. No reliable documentation exists of those claims and they remain little more than "fish-stories".

The largest specimen regarded as accurately recorded was caught on November 11, 1947, near the island of Baba, not far from Karachi, Pakistan. It was 12.65 metres (41.50 ft) long, weighed more than 21.5 tons (47,300 lb), and had a girth of 7 metres (23.0 ft).

Stories exist of vastly larger specimens-quoted lengths of 18 metres (59 ft) are not uncommon in the popular shark literature-but no scientific records exist to support their existence. In 1868 the Irish natural scientist E. Perceval Wright spent time in the Seychelles, during which he managed to obtain several small whale shark specimens, but claimed to have observed specimens in excess of 15 metres (49.2 ft), and tells of reports of specimens surpassing 21 metres (68.9 ft).

In a 1925 publication, Hugh M. Smith describes a huge whale shark caught in a bamboo fish trap in Thailand in 1919. The shark was too heavy to pull ashore, but Smith estimated that the shark was at least 17 metres (56 ft) long, and weighed approximately 37 tons (81,500 lb), which have been exaggerated to an accurate measurement of 17.98 metres (58.99 ft) and weight 43 tonnes in recent years. There have even been claims of whale sharks of up to 23 metres (75 ft). In 1934 a ship named the Maurguani came across a whale shark in the Southern Pacific ocean, rammed it, and the shark consequently became stuck on the prow of the ship, supposedly with 4.6 metres (15.1 ft) on one side and 12.2 metres (40.0 ft) on the other. No reliable documentation exists of those claims and they remain little more than "fish-stories".

The largest whale shark ever found was 41.5 ft and weighed 47000 lbs. So they can get to pretty large sizes.

Most whale sharks average to about 25 ft. long. But that is only the average length because the whale shark is the largest and longest fish in the world. Some squids are longer because that is only the average length. I'd say the longest whale shark in the world is approx. 45-59 ft. An average whale shark weighs about 15 tons=30,000 lbs.
The average whale shark is 25 feet but the largest recorded size is 46 feet.
The whale shark averagesabout 25 ft. but there have been whale sharks found that where 46 ft. long The whale shark averagesabout 25 ft. but there have been whale sharks found that where 46 ft. long The largest confirmed was 41 feet.

Answer 2

1.3 centimeters

Answer 3

as big as a cargo ship