the warm shallow waters off Florida south coast are home to a home bunny the
south coast are home to a home bunny the
south coast are home to a home bunny 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 Cove for
scientists back to the shallow Cove for
scientists back to the shallow Cove for many years
many years
many years Jeff carrier in West Pratt first time we
Jeff carrier in West Pratt first time we
Jeff carrier in West Pratt first time we ever saw any of this activity was almost
ever saw any of this activity was almost
ever saw any of this activity was almost almost 25 years ago I couldn’t exactly
almost 25 years ago I couldn’t exactly
almost 25 years ago I couldn’t exactly tell what I was looking at until I
tell what I was looking at until I
tell what I was looking at until I discovered that I was looking at two
discovered that I was looking at two
discovered that I was looking at two sharks not one and that they were mating
sharks not one and that they were mating
sharks not one and that they were mating ready Jeff and Wes are here continuing
ready Jeff and Wes are here continuing
ready Jeff and Wes are here continuing the only long-term study of shark mating
the only long-term study of shark mating
the only long-term study of shark mating in the wild these two shark warriors had
in the wild these two shark warriors had
in the wild these two shark warriors had been up close and very personal with
been up close and very personal with
been up close and very personal with their subjects the team gets the
their subjects the team gets the
their subjects the team gets the close-ups here in the lagoon but what
close-ups here in the lagoon but what
close-ups here in the lagoon but what about the bigger picture
about the bigger picture
about the bigger picture how much mating occurs in the places
how much mating occurs in the places
how much mating occurs in the places they can observe in the vast area
they can observe in the vast area
they can observe in the vast area outside the study site well that’s a job
outside the study site well that’s a job
outside the study site well that’s a job for critter cam this is an animal that’s
for critter cam this is an animal that’s
for critter cam this is an animal that’s lives in deeper water it’s long lived we
lives in deeper water it’s long lived we
lives in deeper water it’s long lived we can’t follow it we don’t have the
can’t follow it we don’t have the
can’t follow it we don’t have the technology to do that but critter cam
technology to do that but critter cam
technology to do that but critter cam does nurse sharks may be home bodies but
does nurse sharks may be home bodies but
does nurse sharks may be home bodies but so far they’re not cooperating
so far they’re not cooperating
so far they’re not cooperating it’s been a week and the crew has yet to
it’s been a week and the crew has yet to
it’s been a week 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 shows them to water as deep as we’re in
shows them to water as deep as we’re in
shows them to water as deep as we’re in now so that he can’t get ahold of her
now so that he can’t get ahold of her
now so that he can’t get ahold of her fins which is a vital first step don’t
fins which is a vital first step don’t
fins which is a vital first step don’t win the right male shows up she allows
win the right male shows up she allows
win the right male shows up she allows him to push her to slightly deeper water
him to push her to slightly deeper water
him to push her to slightly deeper water to mate the male can get hold of that
to mate the male can get hold of that
to mate the male 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 mating and it’s later the male shark has
mating and it’s later the male shark has
mating and it’s later the male 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
wrestling match begins the male makes a
wrestling match begins the male makes a total of three attempts to mate with
total of three attempts to mate with
total of three attempts to mate with but he’s unsuccessful now what the male
but he’s unsuccessful now what the male
but he’s unsuccessful now what the male moves into deeper water alone he stops
moves into deeper water alone he stops
moves into deeper water alone he stops and seems to be resting her cam has
and seems to be resting her cam has
and seems to be resting her cam has shown us that for the males maybe the
shown us that for the males maybe the
shown us that for the males maybe the deep water is the refuge and it’s
deep water is the refuge and it’s
deep water is the refuge and it’s turning our thinking around and maybe
turning our thinking around and maybe
turning our thinking around and maybe even upside down Wes and Jeff will be
even upside down Wes and Jeff will be
even upside down Wes and Jeff will be back to these waters again next year to
back to these waters again next year to
back to these waters again next year to discover more secrets about this regal
discover more secrets about this regal
discover more secrets about this regal shark
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