A researcher snorkeling off New Caledonia captured what scientists say is the first documented case of leopard sharks mating in the wild, and it took three to tango.

A researcher has recorded three sharks in a “threesome”, or ménage à trois, marking a scientific first.

Hugo Lassauce, a marine biologist and a researcher from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia, was snorkeling off New Caledonia, a French territory west of the coast of Queensland, Australia, when he spotted the trio of endangered Indo-Pacific leopard sharks having a bit of fun, according to Storyful. Lassauce recorded the sharks’ underwater tango.

The video shows two male sharks mating with a female in quick succession, according to Storyful. The fun lasted 110 seconds, marking the first recorded case of leopard sharks mating in the wild.

“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,” Lassauce said in a statement.

Here’s what to know about the momentous achievement in marine biology.

The video was a year in the making

The video didn’t happen by accident, according to the university.

“The postdoctoral researcher had snorkelled with the sharks 15km [9.32 miles] off the New Caledonian coast every week for a year as part of the aquarium’s monitoring program,” a press release published to the university’s website stated.

Once Lassauce captured the footage, he swam back to the boat, and his team celebrated the rare occasion.

The mating is documented in a paper published by the Journal of Ethology.

Where was the video recorded?

The video was recorded off the shores of New Caledonia, a French territory west of the coast of Queensland, Australia.

What are Indo-Pacific leopard sharks?

Not to be confused with the leopard shark, Triakis semifasciata − which lives in the Eastern Pacific Ocean from Oregon to the Gulf of California in Mexico, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History − the Indo-Pacific leopard shark, Stegostoma tigrinum, is nearly extinct due to overfishing, the Seattle Aquarium states on its website.

The sharks, also known as zebra sharks, once thrived in the Coral Triangle, in the western Pacific Ocean.

The region spans the following six countries, according to the Coral Reef Alliance:

  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • The Philippines
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Solomon Islands
  • Timor-Leste

“This biodiversity hotspot is home to 76% of the world’s coral species and supports the livelihoods of millions through fishing, tourism, and coastal protection services,” the Coral Reef Alliance stated.

‘ReSharking’ the ocean

A program, called ReShark, is aiming to repopulate, or reshark, the Indo-Pacific leopard shark’s native habitat.

Accredited aquariums, such as the Seattle Aquarium, breed the sharks in captivity, according to the aquarium’s website. The resulting eggs are then taken to nurseries in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. There, once they’ve hatched, the sharks are reared, tagged, and released into the ocean.

“Sharks and rays are endangered throughout our one world ocean,” the aquarium stated. “Our work with the Indo-Pacific leopard shark is the first of many ReShark species recovery projects to come.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A shark 'threesome' was caught on camera. Here's why that's groundbreaking.

Reporting by Julia Gomez, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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