It is hardly a cuddly infant. The five-foot long pure white California shark is already a fierce predator. According to experts are inclined to believe it is an infant great white shark (Carcaradon carcharias.)
Great whites reproduction is interesting. The sharks are ovovivaparous. That means they carry the litter (2 to 17 pups) internally. They feed off an egg sac and an internally secreted milk like liquid. The pups are born alive and are two to four feet long at birth. Other aspects of their behavior such as courtship and mating are not well understood. The pure white California shark will darken a bit as it grows and will be grayer by maturity.
Great whites are the stuff of legend and nightmares. But they have their enemies, humans and sometimes orcas ( sometimes called killer whales) According to Britannica:
“The white shark has been classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 1996. Its wide distribution throughout many areas of the ocean has made comprehensive population surveys difficult; however, catch-rate data collected by fishery officials worldwide suggest that the species may be undergoing a decline, but the white shark has only been assessed in selected regions, such as the Mediterranean Sea, where it is considered critically endangered.” Links in original.
The sighting of the white California shark reminds us of how little we do know about sharks. Although sharks are quite familiar to humans and most of us fear them they have many secrets yet to reveal. Greenland sharks to take on example, may live up to 500 years and this mechanism is not understood. They have also been studied for their alleged immunity to certain diseases such as cancer that plague humans. In addition, Greenland sharks and other sharks have been confounding our beliefs. Several cold water sharks have been found in far warmer waters than was expected.