the warm shallow waters off Florida South Coast are home to a homebody the
South Coast are home to a homebody the
South Coast are home to a homebody the nurse shark these large fish are bottom
nurse shark these large fish are bottom
nurse shark these large fish are bottom feeders foraging usually at night and
feeders foraging usually at night and
feeders foraging usually at night and can appear rather sluggish during the
can appear rather sluggish during the
can appear rather sluggish during the day but most nurse sharks eat sleep and
day but most nurse sharks eat sleep and
day but most nurse sharks eat sleep and reproduce in one area their entire lives
reproduce in one area their entire lives
reproduce in one area their entire lives and that consistency is brought to
and that consistency is brought to
and that consistency is brought to scientists back to the shallow co for
scientists back to the shallow co for
scientists back to the shallow co for many years Jeff carrier in west pratt
many years Jeff carrier in west pratt
many years Jeff carrier in west pratt first time we ever saw any of this
first time we ever saw any of this
first time we ever saw any of this activity was almost almost 25 years ago
activity was almost almost 25 years ago
activity was almost almost 25 years ago I couldn’t exactly tell what i was
I couldn’t exactly tell what i was
I couldn’t exactly tell what i was looking at until I discovered that I was
looking at until I discovered that I was
looking at until I discovered that I was looking at two sharks not one and that
looking at two sharks not one and that
looking at two sharks not one and that they were made it ready Jeff and Wes are
they were made it ready Jeff and Wes are
they were made it ready Jeff and Wes are here continuing the only long-term study
here continuing the only long-term study
here continuing the only long-term study of shark mating in the wild these two
of shark mating in the wild these two
of shark mating in the wild these two shark warriors had been up close and
shark warriors had been up close and
shark warriors had been up close and very personal their subjects the team
very personal their subjects the team
very personal their subjects the team gets the close-ups here in the lagoon
gets the close-ups here in the lagoon
gets the close-ups here in the lagoon but what about the bigger picture how
but what about the bigger picture how
but what about the bigger picture how much mating occurs in the places they
much mating occurs in the places they
much mating occurs in the places they can observe in the vast area outside the
can observe in the vast area outside the
can observe in the vast area outside the study site well that’s a job for critter
study site well that’s a job for critter
study site well that’s a job for critter cam this is an animal that lives in
cam this is an animal that lives in
cam this is an animal that lives in deeper water its long-lived we can’t
deeper water its long-lived we can’t
deeper water its long-lived we can’t follow it we don’t have the technology
follow it we don’t have the technology
follow it we don’t have the technology to do that but Crittercam does nurse
to do that but Crittercam does nurse
to do that but Crittercam does nurse sharks may be homebodies but so far
sharks may be homebodies but so far
sharks may be homebodies but so far they’re not cooperating it’s been a week
they’re not cooperating it’s been a week
they’re not cooperating it’s been a week and the crew has yet to see a mating
and the crew has yet to see a mating
and the crew has yet to see a mating event
but finally they see the signs they’ve
but finally they see the signs they’ve been looking for
these female sharks are choosing they’re
these female sharks are choosing they’re picky about which males mate with them
picky about which males mate with them
picky about which males mate with them and when the wrong guy shows up she
and when the wrong guy shows up she
and when the wrong guy shows up she Shoals into waters deep as we’re in now
Shoals into waters deep as we’re in now
Shoals into waters deep as we’re in now so that he can’t get ahold of her fins
so that he can’t get ahold of her fins
so that he can’t get ahold of her fins which is a vital first step but when the
which is a vital first step but when the
which is a vital first step but when the right male shows up she allows him to
right male shows up she allows him to
right male shows up she allows him to push her to slightly deeper water to
push her to slightly deeper water to
push her to slightly deeper water to mate the mail can get hold of that
mate the mail can get hold of that
mate the mail can get hold of that valuable pectoral fin because they don’t
valuable pectoral fin because they don’t
valuable pectoral fin because they don’t have hands he can then curve his body
have hands he can then curve his body
have hands he can then curve his body around the female and mate with her I
around the female and mate with her I
around the female and mate with her I want to see mating events I want to see
want to see mating events I want to see
want to see mating events I want to see and I want to see I’d love to see him
and I want to see I’d love to see him
and I want to see I’d love to see him travel around in here and continue on
travel around in here and continue on
travel around in here and continue on his way and if and when he goes outside
his way and if and when he goes outside
his way and if and when he goes outside to prove that hypothesis of deep water
to prove that hypothesis of deep water
to prove that hypothesis of deep water meeting minutes later the mail shark has
meeting minutes later the mail shark has
meeting minutes later the mail shark has found a female and begins the pursuit
found a female and begins the pursuit
found a female and begins the pursuit she moves quickly out of the area that
she moves quickly out of the area that
she moves quickly out of the area that Wes and Jeff can study then she stops
Wes and Jeff can study then she stops
Wes and Jeff can study then she stops and waits so does the man
and waits so does the man
and waits so does the man then he makes his move biting her fin
then he makes his move biting her fin
then he makes his move biting her fin the female arches her back and a
the female arches her back and a
the female arches her back and a wrestling match begins
the male makes a total of three attempts
the male makes a total of three attempts to mate with but he’s unsuccessful now
to mate with but he’s unsuccessful now
to mate with but he’s unsuccessful now what the male moves into deeper water
what the male moves into deeper water
what the male moves into deeper water alone he stops and seems to be resting
alone he stops and seems to be resting
alone he stops and seems to be resting Crittercam has shown us that for the
Crittercam has shown us that for the
Crittercam has shown us that for the male’s knew the deep water is the refuge
male’s knew the deep water is the refuge
male’s knew the deep water is the refuge and it’s turning our thinking around and
and it’s turning our thinking around and
and it’s turning our thinking around and maybe even upside down Wes and Jeff will
maybe even upside down Wes and Jeff will
maybe even upside down Wes and Jeff will be back to these waters again next year
be back to these waters again next year
be back to these waters again next year to discover more secrets about this
to discover more secrets about this
to discover more secrets about this regal shark
check for wild connors on your local PBS
check for wild connors on your local PBS station sponsored by National Geographic
station sponsored by National Geographic
station sponsored by National Geographic mission programs taking science and
mission programs taking science and
mission programs taking science and exploration into the new millennium
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