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Hummerhead Shark
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Sharks Reproduction
Coastal bays, reefs, and atolls are the favored areas for most female sharks to lay eggs or give birth (pupping). These areas provide a calm, food rich environment for young sharks to grow and develop. Baby sharks born or hatch as miniature adults, even armed with fully functional teeth, and are immediately ready to hunt. Sharks grow slowly to adulthood, often taking a decade or longer to reach maturity. During this time, many young sharks fall prey to larger predators.
SHARK BABIES
Baby sharks are called pups. Just like there are many types of sharks, there are also different ways that sharks come into this world. There are three ways that sharks are born:
• eggs are layed (like birds)
• eggs hatch inside the mother and then are born
• pups sharks grow inside the mother (like humans)
Sharks can have from 1 to 100 babies at a time, depending on the type of shark. The ones with pups that grow inside the mother have fewer babies at a time than sharks that lay eggs outside the body.
Sharks do not care for their babies after they are born, but they do search for a safe place where they can lay their eggs or give birth.
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