E192: Where do whale sharks have their babies? [SJK Audio Edition]

E192: Where do whale sharks have their babies? [SJK Audio Edition]

From SJK Audio Edition by Science Journal for Kids

May 18, 2026 · 8 min

About this episode

The episode explores where baby whale sharks are found and the significance of oxygen minimum zones in their development.

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/where-do-whale-sharks-have-their-babies/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/JJHuWMotBgw Summary : Scientists studied where baby whale sharks are found and discovered that they often appear near low-oxygen ocean zones. Abstract : Where do the world’s biggest fish have their babies? This question remains one of the ocean’s greatest mysteries. Adult whale sharks are easy to find. But newborns are not! We looked back over 50 years of sightings to connect the dots of this puzzle. Our team mapped the locations of 33 baby sharks that were discovered by chance. We also looked at the water temperature, food levels, and oxygen in those areas. We found that baby whale sharks do not appear in random areas of the ocean. In fact, most babies appeared near places called oxygen minimum zones. These areas have very little oxygen (which sharks and other fish need to breathe) deep in the water. They can also lead to more food bunched near the surface. These zones may play an important role in where baby whale sharks are found. Learning more about these hidden nurseries could help protect this endangered ocean giant. You are one of half…

Topics covered

  • whale sharks
  • marine biology
  • ocean ecosystems
  • endangered species
  • baby sharks

Keywords

  • whale sharks
  • baby sharks
  • ocean zones
  • marine life
  • endangered species

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Science Journal for Kids

Places: ocean, oxygen minimum zones

More episodes of SJK Audio Edition

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the SJK Audio Edition podcast page.