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Boaters Spot Massive Whale Shark Off Miami Beach

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A group of boaters made a whale of a discovery off the coast of Miami Beach… literally!

Andrew Greenberg said he and his buddies first noticed a bunch of birds flying around the water Thursday afternoon.

When they got closer, they saw a monstrous whale shark swimming around!

The group fished around the whale for some time, before Greenberg jumped in for a "selfie."

Whale sharks are the largest known fish. According to National Geographic, they can grow over 40 feet in length and weigh nearly 21 tons.

While sightings are not extremely common in these parts, it's not all that surprising the whale shark was spotted off Miami Beach. They prefer warm waters and populate all tropical seas.

In 2015, the Miami Herald spoke with a diving instructor that came face-to-face with a whale shark in the Keys. They estimated it to be 30 feet in length – five more than their boat!

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