
Swimming just six feet from the largest species of fish on the planet, this diver is dwarfed by the magnificent whale shark happily sharing its waters with her during dinner time.

The giant shark, a filter feeder which consumes plankton and small fish by swimming with its jaws open, is even happy to have its picture taken as the diver poses for a selfie with it.

Belgian photographer Ellen Cuylaerts, 44, took the impressive images while on a trip to Isla Mujeres, in Mexico.

Photographer Ellen Cuylaerts, 44, poses for a selfie with the giant whale shark while on a trip to Isla Mujeres, in Mexico

The giant shark, a filter feeder which consumes plankton and small fish by swimming with its jaws open, is happy to share its waters during feeding time

The photographer said swimming next to a whale shark, the largest species of fish on the planet, 'makes you feel very small'

Ms Cuylaerts said she observes how the animals behave beforehand, so she can 'anticipate where the animals will swim' when she is taking pictures of them

Ms Cuylaerts, who lives on Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands, said: 'I try to find a connection with every animal before trying to take a picture of them.

'I watch how they swim, how they behave and if they swim in a pattern.

'This allows me to anticipate where the animals will swim and I can take a shot with some eye contact.

'It's great fun, but it can be very tiring when you're trying to keep up with them.'

The whale shark, weighing a massive 66,000lbs, can reach lengths of up to 39 feet and can be found in tropical and warm oceans. They live in the open sea, and have a lifespan of around 70 years

The whale shark holds many records for sheer size in the animal kingdom, and is by far the largest living non-mammalian vertebrate

Ms Cuylaerts, who lives on Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands, said: 'I try to find a connection with every animal before trying to take a picture of them'

The photographer said due to their size, whale sharks 'seem to move slowly, as they glide through the water.' But she added that 'in fact they're a lot faster than you as a photographer, and can swim three miles an hour easily'

The whale shark, weighing a massive 66,000lbs, can reach lengths of up to 39 feet and can be found in tropical and warm oceans. They live in the open sea, and have a lifespan of around 70 years.

Ms Cuylaerts said: 'To swim next to a whale shark makes you feel very small.

'Because of their size, they seem to move slowly, as they glide through the water.

'But in fact they're a lot faster than you as a photographer, and can swim three miles an hour easily.

Ms Cuylaerts said that on 'busy days over 100 boats are bringing in people to see the whale sharks, and you see some animals having damage from engine propellers'

Ms Cuylaerts said: 'In my opinion a solution has to be found for this, so we can view the beautiful animals without any worry of hurting them'

Photographer Ms Cuylaerts takes pictures of the whale shark as she swims by the side of the magnificent creature

'On busy days over 100 boats are bringing in people to see the whale sharks, and you see some animals having damage from engine propellers.

'In my opinion a solution has to be found for this, so we can view the beautiful animals without any worry of hurting them.'