South Africa, July 25: As Discovery Channel's highly anticipated Shark Week returned on Sunday, July 23, biologist and adventurer Forrest Galante has achieved a remarkable feat by capturing the first-ever video of two pyjama sharks having sex in the kelp forest off the coast of South Africa. According to multiple reports, in a sneak peek of the upcoming series "Alien Sharks: Strange New Worlds,"

Galante and his team embarked on a mission to explore the lesser-known species inhabiting the Great African Seaforest, a vast expanse of the only giant bamboo kelp forest on Earth, stretching hundreds of miles from the tip of South Africa to Namibia. During their expedition, the team encountered an extraordinary sight when they observed two striped small sharks engaging in what initially appeared to be an intense territorial battle. Mars Glacier Discovery: Scientists Unearth Remains of Modern Glacier Near the Red Planet’s Equator With Possibility of Ice Existence.

However, Galante's keen observation quickly unveiled the true nature of the interaction. "They are mating!" he corrected the cameraman. As explained by Galante, the male pyjama shark bit onto the female and moved up her body before inserting his clasper into her cloaca. This rare spectacle stunned even the most seasoned experts and enthusiasts. The pair of sharks coiled around each other, their underwater ballet culminating as they gently sank to the seafloor. Rare Animal Found in Ladakh, Netizens Believe It To Be Tibetian Lynx After Video Goes Viral.

A narrator explained that if successful, the female would soon lay her fertilised eggs on the ocean floor. In approximately five to six months, young pyjama sharks would emerge, a testament to the resilience of these lesser-known species in the majestic sea forest. Galante, visibly excited and moved by the experience, expressed his disbelief at witnessing such an intimate moment in nature. "Never in all my years of diving have I seen active shark mating right in front of my eyes," he exclaimed.

Rare Footage of Sharks Having Sex Astonishes Experts

"Unbelievable, Woohoo! These sharks are not only surviving down here but are actually reproducing, which is a fantastic sign." The footage serves as a groundbreaking discovery, with Galante confident that his team is the first ever to record pyjama sharks mating. He described the experience as unforgettable, filled with goosebumps, and emphasized the importance of witnessing such rare natural occurrences firsthand.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 25, 2023 05:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).