Tourist strikes bargain to free endangered baby whale shark

A Russian tourist has saved the life of a baby whale shark after it was caught by fishermen in Indonesia.

Video has emerged showing a group of young fishermen taking turns to pose for photos while standing on the shark’s back.

A Russian diver notices what is happening as he gets off a nearby boat and tries to intervene.

With the help of a translator a bargain is struck, and the tourist pays A$100 for the men to release the shark.

The video, which appears to have been filmed in May, shows the shark swimming away.

Poaching has reduced the numbers of whale sharks and they are classified as an endangered species under the ICUN Red List of Threatened Species.