Question

How old does a whale shark need to be before it can reproduce?

Answer 1

Whale shark reproduction can be by laying eggs that is also called oviparity where the female deposits eggs in the algae or rocks. The embryos formed inside the eggs and feed on the yolk. They can also reproduce through viviparity which means by giving birth just like mammals wherein they are born fully formed. This reproduction process is through the placental link to the eggs wherein the yolk sac grows within a placenta that is connected to the wall of the uterus and gives the offspring the nutrients vital for their growth. Another reproduction process is through Ovoviviparity where eggs are formed inside the mother where the eggs hatch within the oviduct of the female and the young feed on the egg yolk of the yolk sac and the fluids that the walls of the oviduct secrete since the mother does not provide any food directly. Once the eggs are ready, eggs hatch inside the mother and it pups keep getting food from their surroundings until they are fully developed. The number of their offspring and the length of the gestation periods varies according to the species. Probably a female of some species may have only two offspring, but some other species may have between forty and eighty. The small sharks have shorter gestation period compared to large species that last from three to four months or up to more than two years. The large ones reproduce every two years, while the little ones have offspring each year. This is why the reproduction process of whale shark is not known in detail.