Australian researchers have filmed what is believed to be the first documented instance of two male endangered leopard sharks mating sequentially with a female in the wild off New Caledonia.

The University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) said marine biologist Hugo Lassauce captured the rare event during a weekly snorkel at the site, part of a monitoring program. The three sharks were about 2.3m long.

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

"It was over quickly for both males, one after the other. The first took 63 seconds, the other 47. Then the males lost all their energy and lay immobile on the bottom while the female swam away actively."

The spec

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