A mako pup grows inside its mother for 15 to 18 months before it is born. A litter can hold from 4 to 25 pups. A newborn pup is about 60 to 70 centimetres long. A young mako has a black spot on the tip of its snout.

Female makos grow bigger than males. A big mako can weigh about 330 pounds. It can grow to about 13 feet long. A mako is thought to live about 29 to 32 years.

A mako eats fish and squid. It hunts fast fish such as swordfish and tuna. A mako has large, sharp teeth. Its long teeth can be seen even when its mouth is closed. It is at the top of the ocean food chain.

A mako is built for speed. It keeps its body warmer than the water around it. Makos are often seen leaping out of the water. As of November 2026, the shortfin mako is considered the fastest shark in the world.

A mako is a shark that lives in the open ocean and sometimes near the coast. It is found from the surface down to about 1,640 feet. It lives in warm and mild waters around the world.

Words to know

• litter: group of babies
• snout: nose part
• pup: baby shark
• tuna: big fish