Watch: Whale shark takes a swim in Dubai Marina

Twitter was abuzz with the news of the whale shark finding its way into Dubai Marina.

Guess who has come to the weekend party in Dubai Marina. The mammoth yet sleek visitor seemed to be in love with the sun and surf of Dubai when it played hide and seek with passersby who stopped to take photos and videos.

Residents were pleasantly surprised when they spotted the whale shark in Dubai on Thursday afternoon. Some of them took to social media to share photos and videos of the visitor.

Passers-by took to social media to share photos and videos of the whale shark, including this video by @kharta3:

Twitter was abuzz with the news of the whale shark finding its way into Dubai Marina. People reacted differently: While some were concerned about the safety of the fish, others were worried if it was dangerous.

The shark's popularity even spawned a parody account on Twitter, @dxbmarinashark, tweeting about his 'escapade' in the Marina waters. The account holder later tweeted, reacting to the response he received:

What is a whale shark?

- The whale shark is a slow-moving filter-feeding shark.

- It feeds by straining suspended matter and food particles from water through a special mechanism.

- Small fish, krill, larvae and eggs form a major part of its diet.

- It can grow up to 12 metres long and weigh as much as 30 tonnes.

- Despite its size, the whale shark does not pose significant danger to humans, and sometimes allow swimmers to catch a ride.

The whale shark can grow up to 12 metres long and weigh as much as 30 tonnes. Despite its size, the whale shark does not pose significant danger to humans, and sometimes allow swimmers to catch a ride.

"So a whale shark is spotted in Dubai Marina today! But it's harmless because they don't eat people...supposedly," tweeted @jswalia.

While one wondered if the shark knows the rent situation in dubai Marina, another even offered to assist' the shark in getting its Emirates ID 'application' in order:

• UAE
• Dubai