Whale sharks are the biggest fish in the world, but much about them still remains unknown. Like many types of shark, they birth live young, but no one has observed a baby whale shark being born!
Has anyone seen a whale shark give birth?
So where are all the girls? And where do whale sharks mate and give birth? Mating and pupping have never been seen in the wild – but, intriguingly, up to 90% of the whale sharks passing through the Galapagos marine reserve are female and thought to be pregnant.
Where are baby whale sharks found?
This is smaller than the largest embryo found inside “big Mamma” in 1995, meaning this pup is either a small newborn or even neonate. Given their size and swimming ability it is likely that the Philippine, Peru, India, Australia, Pakistan and Taiwan, where they were found, may be close to whale sharks nurseries !
How big can a baby whale shark get?
about 16 to 24 inches
When the pups are born they are about 16 to 24 inches in length, which is amazing, since full-grown whale sharks on average are about 18 to 33 feet (6 to 10 m) long.
How many whale shark babies survive?
3. They can be very old. It’s thought that less than 10% of whale sharks born survive to adulthood, but those that do may live to 150.
Has anyone seen sharks mate?
Most shark species have never been observed mating in the wild.
Has anyone seen a blue whale give birth?
Cynthia Barile, a PhD student from Galway in Ireland was taking a break from a conference trip in Cape Town, South Africa, when she and a colleague saw the incredible birth. The two students are whale researchers themselves, so they were very excited about what they had seen.
Are whale sharks friendly?
Are whale sharks friendly? Yes – whale sharks are friendly creatures! Although they can reach up to 20 meters in length, this shark is totally harmless to humans.
Do whale sharks look after their babies?
Whale sharks do not care for their young, nor do any other sharks. Baby sharks are born ready to survive on their own, relying on their instincts. Female whale sharks are ovoviviparous, which means they produce eggs but the eggs remain inside their bodies until they hatch.
Do baby whale sharks stay with their mother?
Answer and Explanation: Baby whale sharks do not stay with their mothers, nor do any other baby sharks. Mother sharks do not take care of their babies. Instead, sharks are ready to live in their environment and rely on instincts when they are born or when they hatch from eggs.
Do whale sharks glow?
These gentle giants, which can grow to 18 metres long during their lifetime, sport glowing white spots on their skin.
Are whale sharks intelligent?
It is an intelligent animal who demonstrates the ability to learn. Captive sharks in aquariums exhibit changes in their behavior when humans come to feed them as they begin to swim in circles. Observations indicate that they sometimes perform a cough-like activity, presumably to clean their filter pads.
What is the smallest shark?
dwarf lantern shark
The smallest shark, a dwarf lantern shark (Etmopterus perryi) is smaller than a human hand. It’s rarely seen and little is known about it, having only been observed a few times off the northern tip of South America at depths between 283–439 meters (928–1,440 feet).
Why can’t you touch a whale shark?
Touching whale sharks can disturb the protective mucous layer on their skin – and it can also have unpleasant consequences for you or me. The tiny, tooth-like scales (known as dermal denticles) that cover the skin of most shark species can cause a painful graze known as “shark burn”.
Are whale sharks deaf?
Whale sharks have the largest eardrum in the animal kingdom!
No one really knows what whale sharks do hear but it is thought that this enormous organ helps them find their prey. Imagine being able to hear plankton!
What eats whale shark?
There are very few known predators of the whale shark, although blue marlin and blue sharks sometimes prey upon small individuals. The most significant threat to this species appears to be humans.
Can sharks change gender?
Other scientists believe that the big sharks, like some other species, change sex when they reach a certain size: males become females. The switch may ensure survival by allowing the largest, most experienced sharks to give birth to young.
Do sharks bite when they mate?
Then the sharks engage in complex behavior as the male attempts to internally fertilize the female’s eggs. Often, the male must bite the female’s back, flanks and fins, sometimes inflicting serious looking wounds, in order to get into a position to mate.
Do sharks fall asleep?
Whatever method they use to breathe, sharks are able to engage in periods of deep rest while still but do not fall asleep in the traditional sense. Lacking eyelids, their eyes remain perpetually open, and their pupils still monitor the motion of creatures swimming around them.
How much sperm comes from a whale?
around 20 litres
In fact, each ejaculation of a blue whale could produce around 20 litres of sperm. The blue whale’s genital apparatus is proportional to its imposing size, which can reach about 30 metres.
How long is a whale shark pregnant?
Scientists do not yet know how long a whale shark is pregnant. As this species cannot survive in captivity, researchers must rely on observation and tracking in the wild. Only two instances of whale shark mating have ever been observed and only one pregnant female was ever caught.