Baby sharks are one of the cutest and most popular animals in the world. But what do they really look like? Let’s take a closer look at these amazing creatures!
Baby sharks are born with a full set of teeth, just like their adult counterparts. They also have a long, slender body and large eyes. Their skin is covered in tiny, tooth-like scales called dermal denticles.
These denticles help to reduce drag as the shark swims through water.
Interestingly, baby sharks are born with a dark gray or brown coloration. This helps them to blend in with the ocean floor and avoid predators.
As they grow older, their skin lightens to a more pale color.
Most baby sharks look like smaller versions of their parents. They have the same basic body shape and coloration, but they are much smaller. Some baby sharks are born with teeth, while others do not develop them until they are a few weeks old.
Baby Shark Size at Birth
When it comes to baby sharks, there is a lot of variation in size. Some baby sharks are born as small as 6 inches, while others can be up to 2 feet long! The average length for a baby shark at birth is about 12-24 inches.
So why the big range in size? It all has to do with the species of shark and where they live. For example, whale sharks – which can grow to be over 40 feet long as adults – give birth to pups that are already about 10 feet long!
On the other hand, great white sharks – which only get up to 20 feet or so in length as adults – have pups that are born much smaller, around 3-4 feet long on average.
There’s also a difference between how “live-bearing” and “egg-laying” sharks reproduce. Live-bearing sharks carry their young inside their bodies until they are ready to be born, while egg-laying sharks lay eggs that hatch outside of their bodies (in an egg case).
Generally speaking, live-bearing species tend to have larger pups at birth than those that lay eggs.
No matter what the size, all baby sharks are absolutely adorable… even if they might grow up to be fierce predators one day!
Credit: nypost.com
How Big is a Newborn Baby Shark?
A newborn baby shark is about 6.7 inches long on average.
How Small are Baby Sharks?
Most baby sharks are born between 3 and 5 feet long. Some species of baby sharks can be as small as 8 inches long at birth.
What Does a Great White Shark Baby Look Like?
A great white shark baby looks like a small version of an adult great white shark. They are born with a white belly and a dark back, and their body is covered with small black spots. Great white shark babies are about 3 feet long at birth and weigh about 30 pounds.
How are Baby Sharks Born?
Great white sharks are born in the late summer and early autumn. The female shark will give birth to live young, typically two to ten pups. The gestation period is around 12 months long.
The pups are born blind and without any teeth. They measure around 1-1.5m in length at birth and weigh between 15-30kg. The mother shark will not stick around to care for her offspring – they are on their own from the moment they are born.
Pups will spend the first few years of their lives in coastal waters, gradually moving offshore as they mature. Great white sharks can live for up to 70 years in the wild!
Shark Gives BIRTH on Boat!!! (My Reaction = 😱)
Conclusion
Baby sharks are born looking like miniature adults, complete with all their teeth. They typically grow to be about 2 feet long and live in shallow, warm ocean waters. Baby sharks eat small fish and invertebrates.
