What is the life cycle of the nurse shark?

Answer 1

After the egg is fertilized the developing young are encased in egg cases in the 2 uteri(plural of uterus) of the female shark. They hatch from the cases when they are around 55mm long. They are still in the uteri at this time and will feed off the unfertilized eggs and their own siblings for around 9 to 12 months. There is only 1 shark left in each uterus as all of the others have been eaten so 2 sharks are then born(there are 2 uteri). Their life span has only been worked out in captivity which is 25 years approx. This number will obviously be affected in the wild however nurse sharks rarely get eaten by other animals. The only time humans have been a threat to the nurse shark was when the street lamps in Sydney ran off the oil in and surrounding the livers of sharks. I haven't found out what age a female nurse shark can be fertilized at but i will edit it in if i do. I hope this helps if you haven't yet found the answer yourself. Callum

Answer 2

Nurse sharks reproduce via internal fertilization, with females giving birth to live young. The pups are independent at birth and nurse on their mother's milk. Nurse sharks have a long lifespan, estimated to be around 25-30 years.