Marine biologist Forrest Galante has swam with some of the most fearsome creatures in the sea , including the terrifying hammerhead . But now he has hitched a ride on the whale shark , which can grow to more than 44ft long . However , despite its massive size , the whale shark is a filter feeder , devouring tonnes of plankton as it swims though warm parts of the ocean . Despite the mammoth size of the whale shark , Galante said he had no fears about diving with the creatures , which can live to between 70 and 100 years old in the wild . Forrest Galante was helping marine biologists study the giant whale shark off the coast of . Galante and his team were measuring the giant whales who were returning to the secret Mexican location . Whale sharks can grow as long as 44ft but are not a danger to humans as they favor plankton . My turn : Galante 's girlfriend poses on the water with the huge beast right beside her . He said : 'Not at all , they are gentle giants . I was helping out a team of marine biologists conduct a survey on whale shark population estimates , to identify returning sharks year on year and to see growth rates of individuals . 'We were out for three days on the whole and it was on the first evening that I was able to have such an amazing interaction with the largest shark . ' The project is taking place at a secret location off the coast of Mexico . Galante has appeared on several reality TV survival-style shows in the United States . He added : ' I have previously been in the water with the hammerhead along with various other sharks . 'As my passion and job revolves around amazing wildlife , I continue to seek encounters ( both in the water and out ) with all the most fantastic creatures I can . ' Unlike species such as the great white and tiger shark , the whale shark is very docile in the water and filters its food . Biologists do not know why the whale shark has any teeth as it does not use them for feeding , although they are thought to have evolved more than 90 million years ago . Galante and his team were measuring the returning whale sharks to see how they had grown over a year . When asked about swimming with the massive sharks , Galante said they were 'gentle giants ' Gallante has appeared on several reality television survival-style shows in the United States . Whale sharks can live for between 70 and 100 years in the wild and reach sexual maturity after 30 years .
Marine biologist Forrest Galante has filmed himself swimming with sharks . He dived off the coast of Mexico with the giant whale shark for a study . The whale shark can grow to more than 44ft but only feeds on plankton .