The Lemon shark is viviparous, meaning that they give live birth. After a gestation period of 10 to 12 months, pregnant females enter shallow nursery areas in spring and summer to give birth to litters of 4 to 17 pups. The pups have a very slow growth rate and remain within nursery grounds for quite a long time, where they are in less danger from predators. The mangroves that the young mainly inhabit are highly productive waters, creating an excellent area for feeding, but also an area of very low oxygen content. However, the Lemon shark has many adaptations that increase oxygen uptake, such as blood with an unusually high affinity for oxygen. As they grow, their range increases dramatically, from up to around . Maturity is reached at about 6 and a half years of age, and it is believed that the Lemon shark lives for up to 27 years.