Baby Shark in real life! For the first time in history, scientists have photographed a small white shark

Great white sharks are, today, The largest predatory sharks in the world And also The most dangerous for humans. But beyond that, it is also one of the most mysterious species. No one knows where or how great white sharks are bornNo one has been able to observe a newborn baby in the wild.

That's it, So far. On July 9, 2023, director Carlos Gaona and researcher Philip Stearns were surveying the sea near Santa Barbara on California's central coast when they noticed something. Never noticed before. One Little shark.

The place where great white sharks give birth is the holy grail of shark science. No one has ever been able to pinpoint where they were born, and no one has ever seen a newborn shark alive. – Carlos Gaona.

The calf was completely white, and while it was swimming, Parts of a white layer shot out from its body – Which means it was a newborn great white shark, then Shedding of the embryonic layer After leaving his mother's womb.

It is very difficult to imagine a Such a giant predator K A newborn baby boy. The cub pictured was almost the same Its length is 1.5 meters. It is estimated that white sharks grow to approx 25 cm per yearreaching total lengths Approximately 6 metres As adults. There are old and unconfirmed reports of white sharks being caught in up to… Its length is 11 meters.

The secret of the birth of the great white shark

It is possible that the takeover was carried out by Gaona and Stearns The key to solving this long-standing mystery about great white sharks, and their analysis was recently published in the journal Environmental biology of fish.

In the article, the authors explore the possibility that the expelled film A Skin Disease – but there is little evidence to suggest this, as in sharks It was never reported. On the other hand, before they are born, baby sharks feed on a The milk secreted by the mother inside the uterus – which may have formed the white layer.

Furthermore, the area the researchers were studying was… Infested with great white sharks and possibly pregnant – Three of them were photographed in the previous days. The size and shape of the puppy are strong indicators of this He was born just a few hours agoMaybe from one of the mature sharks.

Finally, the Central Coast of California was proposed Possible birthplace of great white sharks Already a long time ago. Maybe this is it The first evidence of the validity of this hypothesisAnd that sharks give birth there Shallow water.

Great white sharks are currently present Listed as an internationally threatened species. More research is still needed to confirm whether the area is in fact a breeding ground for this species, but if so, Protecting this water can be a big step in helping it continue to thrive.

News reference:
Gaona, C., Stearns, P.C. New aerial observations of a newborn white shark (Carcharodon carcarias) in Southern California. Ecology Fish Biol (2024).