Video: Scientists Capture World’s First Filmed Shark Threesome in the Wild

For the first time ever, scientists have captured footage of a trio of sharks mating simultaneously. The remarkable encounter involved large leopard sharks in the Pacific Ocean, between New Zealand and Australia.

Marine biologist Dr. Hugo Lassauce filmed the sharks after spotting them on the ocean floor and waiting at the surface until they began copulating. He described the experience as both challenging and rewarding: “I waited an hour, freezing in the water, but finally they started swimming up. It was over quickly for both males, one after the other. The first took 63 seconds, the other 47.”

The males appeared exhausted afterward, lying immobile on the seafloor, while the female swam away energetically. The sharks, all around 2.3 metres long, were observed in French territory near New Caledonia. Leopard sharks are listed as endangered, and little is known about their mating behaviour in the wild.

Scientists are excited about the observation, noting it could provide insights into artificial insemination and conservation efforts aimed at “rewilding” the species in places such as Australia. Researchers from the University of the Sunshine Coast highlighted that leopard sharks in captivity can mate for up to five minutes, making this encounter notably shorter. They also observed that the males’ quick loss of interest and the female’s departure afterward are common behaviours among sharks.

Senior Research Fellow Dr. Christine Dudgeon, co-author of the study with Dr. Lassauce, remarked on the uniqueness of the event: “It’s surprising and fascinating that two males were involved sequentially on this occasion. From a genetic diversity perspective, we want to find out how many fathers contribute to the batches of eggs laid each year by females.”

The video of this extraordinary shark behaviour has been made publicly available.

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