Rare Leopard Shark 'Threesome' Footage Could Save Species

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Scientists have captured the first-ever footage of endangered leopard sharks mating in the wild - a "threesome" that could help save the species from extinction.

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Marine biologist Hugo Lassauce filmed two male sharks taking turns mating with a single female near Nouméa, New Caledonia on July 12, 2024.

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"It's rare to witness sharks mating in the wild, but to see it with an endangered species was so exciting that we just started cheering," said Lassauce.

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The footage shows both males holding onto the female's pectoral fins with their mouths while she occasionally struggled to free herself.

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When mating finally began, it happened quickly - the first male mated for just 63 seconds, followed by the second male for 47 seconds.

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After these brief encounters, both exhausted males lay motionless on the seafloor while the female swam away.

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Also known as zebra sharks, leopard sharks are endangered with populations declining due to overfishing and habitat destruction.

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This observation confirms the area near Nouméa as a critical mating habitat requiring protection and provides valuable information for artificial insemination efforts.

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Dr. Christine Dudgeon, who has studied these sharks for two decades, called the sequential involvement of two males "surprising and fascinating."

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The discovery supports the ReShark conservation initiative, which breeds leopard sharks in aquariums and releases them to repopulate their native habitats.

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