This is the astonishing moment a whale shark pup gulped down water from the sea's surface for its lunch.

Footage shows the juvenile marine mammal with its mouth wide open as it fed on plankton off the coast of Cebu, the Philippines, on November 26.

The baby whale shark was near a tourist boat, and divers glided nearby to watch it closely.

The province is popular among holidaymakers for its idyllic beaches, where they can go on whale shark dives with the gentle giants.

The whale shark is the largest species of fish in the world. Despite its size, it is a filter feeder, eating plankton, small fish, and other microscopic organisms by swimming with its mouth wide open to filter food.

The species is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Endangered as it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild due to threats like habitat destruction, fishing pressures, and accidental capture in fishing gear.