This is the shocking moment two men are photographed 'surfing' on the back of an endangered whale shark off the coast of Mexico, causing outrage on social media.
The men, believed to be a holidaymaker and his tour operator, are stood upright on the shark's mighty back, holding on to ropes attached to a boat.
The photos are believed to have been taken off the coast of two Mexican islands in the Caribbean Sea, nearby to Cancun.
'The excursion operator and tourist who climbed on that poor animal should be punished,' one user said.
'They are uncivilised people who I condemn in the strongest manner,' said another.
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While these users were outraged, a Mexican official said the images are not authenticated and may not have taken place in Mexico.
He said the type of ropes used indicate the pictures could have been snapped elsewhere.
The World Wide Fund for Nature lists whale shark tourism as a serious threat to the species. Paying customers can get a little closer to the sharks and operators often feed them, disrupting their feeding patterns.
Ship propellers can also seriously maim and injure the sharks.
According to reports, the whale shark is the largest known fish species still in existence. They can grow up to lengths of around 12 metres (42 feet). The largest known individual was recorded at 18.8 metres (61 feet).
This article has been adapted from its original source.
