How long are newborn whale shark pups when they emerge during a birth event?
Answer
About two feet in length
The lifecycle of the whale shark involves a dramatic size differential between birth and maturity. When the mother gives birth to live young following internal egg development, the newborn pups are relatively small, measuring only about two feet in length upon emergence. This small initial size contrasts sharply with the potential maximum adult length, which can approach 60 feet, indicating a slow, decades-long maturation process necessary to achieve such colossal dimensions.
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