How does a great white shark give birth?

Great white sharks are ovoviviparous. Mother great white sharks give birth to live young that hatch from eggs that develop internally. Female mating and pregnancy cycles are not well understood but scientists estimate that white shark breeding occurs every two to three years after three to five months of gestation. Shark breeding occurs in relatively warm waters. In their last four months of pregnancy, females move along the coast searching for a nursery where they will give birth.

The great white shark is a placental viviparous species, which means that its embryos receive nourishment from the mother through a placenta located in the uterus. The gestation period for great white sharks is approximately 10 months, during which the mother will carry the embryos inside of her body. When the embryos are fully developed, the mother will give birth to them by expelling them through her oviducts. The newly born sharks will be approximately 1.2 to 1.5 metres (3.9 to 4.9 feet) in length and weigh around 10 to 15 kilograms (22 to 33 pounds). They will be born with all of the necessary features and abilities to survive on their own, including a fully formed set of teeth and a strong swimming ability.

The litter of a female can range from 2 to 10 pups, but most commonly consists of 5 or 6. Upon birth, the pups are entirely on their own.