Marine mammals and sea turtles are rarely ingested by this species. Despite being a top predator, shortfin makos run the risk of physical harm when hunting prey. There have been many reports of captured sharks bearing scars apparently due to encounters with swordfishes. One mako recovered from a net was impaled through the eye with the bill of the swordfish. Both sexes reach sexual maturity between 4-6 years of age.
Development is ovoviviparous.
Embryos in the uterus are nourished by yolk stored in a yolk sac. There is no placental connection between mother and young. Oophagy is the ingestion of unfertilized or less developed eggs by a fetus that is more developed. Young are born after 15-18 month gestation period. Upon capture, pregnant females usually abort embryos, therefore few specifics about reproduction are known.