Why do you think males and females migrate separately?

It is possible that females avoid large clusters of males until they are ready to mate. Mating in sharks, and elasmobranchs in general, can be energetically costly for the female due to the large amount of bite wounds inflicted upon her by the male during copulation.

 

Another reason why males and females may migrate separately, or sexually segregate, is due to resource partitioning. It has been hypothesized that pregnant females will seek out warm, shallow waters in order to decrease gestation time. By residing in warmer waters, the growth rate of the developing embryos is increased. This shortens the amount of time that the pups must be carried in utero before they are able to survive on their own.

Are males and females found together at other times of the year?

Male and female blacktips can be found together in Georgia and the Carolinas during the summer months. 

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