Footage of leopard sharks mating in the wild in "trios" was recorded - Video : Guardian
According to the Guardian , this is the first time in the history of marine biology that leopard sharks - a species currently on the globally endangered list - have been recorded mating in the wild.
Sharing about the historic moment, Dr. Hugo Lassauce - a researcher from the University of Sunshine Coast (Australia) - recounted: "While diving off the coast of Nouméa, New Caledonia, I came across a female shark lying quietly under the sand, while two males held onto its pectoral fins."
"At that moment, I thought, 'This is definitely going to happen. I'm going to hang in there with my GoPros.' And I waited for an hour. Finally, it happened."
According to Dr Lassauce, the entire process took just 110 seconds, with the first male taking 63 seconds and the second completing it in 47 seconds. Afterwards, "both males were exhausted and lay motionless on the seabed, while the female swam away energetically."
"Not only is this the first time leopard sharks have been recorded mating in the wild, but it is also unique in that both males participated in consecutive order - something that has never been observed before," Mr Lassauce shared.
Although several other shark species have been documented to engage in group mating behavior, studies of shark reproductive behavior in the wild remain an underexplored area.
Dr. Christine Dudgeon, a marine ecology and evolution expert with more than 20 years of research on leopard sharks, said the video recorded by Dr. Lassauce is an extremely valuable source of data.
“This discovery suggests that the New Caledonia region may be an important breeding ground for leopard sharks. This information will greatly assist in the development of effective conservation strategies,” said Christine Dudgeon.
The discovery also contributes to promoting artificial insemination research - part of the effort to "rewild" leopard sharks being conducted in many countries, including Australia.
“The fact that two males were involved in the mating sequence was both surprising and interesting. From a genetic diversity perspective, we were interested in determining how many ‘fathers’ contributed to the clutches that females laid each year,” Dr Dudgeon said.
In addition, in an official statement on September 22, the University of Sunshine Coast said that the "three-way" mating between these leopard sharks will be described in detail in a new research paper published in the Journal of Ethology .
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khoanh-khac-ca-map-bao-giao-phoi-tay-ba-duoi-bien-20250922155136902.htm
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