Where do whale sharks lay their eggs?
Whale shark females produce eggs, but the young hatch inside of the mother instead of in the water like most fish. Then, the female gives birth to about 300 live young. Many never make it to maturity, though.
Where does a whale shark live?
Whale sharks have a broad distribution in tropical and warm temperate seas, usually between latitudes 30°N and 35°S. They are known to inhabit both deep and shallow coastal waters and the lagoons of coral atolls and reefs.
Has a whale shark ever killed a human?
These huge animals are not dangerous. Whale sharks have never attacked humans.
Has a whale shark ever eaten a human?
A whale shark has never eaten a person While they do have 300 rows of teeth in their giant mouths, whale sharks don’t use them for eating.
Do sharks lay eggs or give birth?
There are over 500 species of shark living in waters around the world and the majority give birth to live young. The remainder are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs. Around 40 to 50 different shark species live permanently in or regularly visit the waters surrounding Britain.
How do sharks get pregnant?
Shark reproduction happens through internal fertilization in all species of sharks. This is different from most fish, who will send their eggs and sperm into the blue void and pray for the best. Sharks are a K-selected reproducer and produce small numbers of well-developed baby sharks.
Why is it illegal to touch a whale shark?
Whale sharks are slow moving animals, but they are so big it will appear they are moving fast. Divers can expect that the whale sharks may swim right up to them and must pay close attention at all times. It is illegal to touch a whale shark, so make sure to swim out of the way if one swims toward you.
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”.
Where do whale sharks live in the ocean?
Location. Because of this, they are generally found in the waters along the Equator. The fish is primarily pelagic, meaning that they live in the open sea, but not in the greater depths of the ocean. With this in mind, whale shark habitat is usually found in the waters around South Africa, Central America, and South America.
How big is the biggest whale shark in the world?
The Whale Shark is the biggest fish in the world. It is a large fish that can grow up to 60 feet long, though most specimens reach about 40 feet in length and weigh about 15 tons. The largest known whale shark was measured at 62 feet in 2001, with a weight estimated to be over 60 tons.
How is the reproduction process of a whale shark?
Like other sharks, the reproduction process takes a lot of time. The whale shark’s habitat is affected by this procedure. Like great white sharks, the whale shark is ovoviviparous, meaning that the egg remains within the body and the females give birth to live young.
Why do whale sharks have so many eggs?
This means that whale sharks effectively give birth to live young. Inside the female whale shark are hundreds of eggs but only a few actually turn into baby whale sharks. The remaining eggs are thought to be there so that when the whale shark pups hatch, they have something to eat.
