Researchers gained new insights into the juvenile acts of whale sharks in Saudi Arabia, which gave them a rare glimpse into the lives of these animals.

Whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean and can grow more than 30 feet long. But little is known about their whereabouts on a daily basis.

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Researchers first found the juvenile whale sharks gathering on the coral reefs near Al-Lith the central coast of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea back in 2009.

Simon Thorrold, from Woods Hole Oceonographic Institution (WHOI), said that having so many whale sharks concentrated in one small area gave them such a unique opportunity to study them.

He said that the discovery of this site provides a window into the movements and ecology of the species of the region.

Thorrold explained that even though some of the tagged whale sharks found on the Red Sea swam into the Indian Ocean, most remained relatively close to where they were tagged.

He said that this suggests that the area represents a critical juvenile habitat for this population of whale shark.

He stressed that they found the sex ratio of 1:1 at the site despite the fact that other juvenile whale shark aggregations are dominated by males.

Thorrold stressed that the presence of so many female juvenile sharks may be of considerable significance to the global whale shark populations.

Greg Skomal, from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, said that this newly discovered aggression in Saudi Arabia played an integral role in the natural history of this species.

Researchers believe that their work will eventually tell people about where whale sharks' feeding, breeding and birthing place.

Thorrold explains that knowing their whereabouts at different times of the year will help them design conservation strategies for their species.