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In August 2024, a remotely operated vehicle recorded hundreds, possibly thousands, of female Port Jackson sharks resting together at about 65 metres depth in Australia’s Beagle Marine Park. The tightly packed group resembled a carpet across the seabed. A similar gathering filmed in 2018 shows the event was not necessarily a one-off, but scientists still do not know whether the sharks gather to feed, prepare for reproduction, or follow a regular seasonal pattern.
What the expedition recorded
Scientists from the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) made the observation during a survey from the research vessel MRV Ngerin. The remotely operated vehicle viewed the sharks resting among reefs on the seafloor in Beagle Marine Park, a protected area in Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania.
- Date: August 2024
- Depth: about 65 metres
- Animals: female Port Jackson sharks
- Scale: hundreds, possibly thousands
- Location: Beagle Marine Park, which covers almost 3,000 square kilometres
Expedition leader Dr Jacquomo Monk described the animals as “tightly packed like a carpet spread across the seafloor.” IMAS had filmed a comparable aggregation during a 2018 survey.
“Sleeping” is shorthand for daytime resting
The footage shows sharks settled on the seabed, so “sleeping” is an observational description rather than a scientific diagnosis of their sleep state. The University of Tasmania’s account says Port Jackson sharks rest during the day and become active at night, when they feed on squid, octopus and crustaceans.
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Because the sharks were seen motionless together during a daytime survey, “shark slumber party” is a vivid description of what the camera captured. The imagery alone cannot establish how the animals’ physiology compares with human sleep.
Meet the Port Jackson shark
Port Jackson sharks (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) are also known as “Sleepy Joes.” IMAS characterizes the species as friendly, and reports on the sighting say it is not considered a threat to humans. Their normal diet includes bottom-dwelling prey such as squid, octopus and crustaceans.
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The 2024 group was notable not simply because of its size, but because every shark visible in the aggregation was female. That sex pattern is the central unanswered question raised by the survey.
Why were all the sharks female?
Scientists have proposed explanations, but none has been demonstrated. The available evidence supports the observation of an all-female group; it does not identify the group’s purpose.
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| Possible explanation | What it would mean | Evidence status |
|---|---|---|
| Feeding before a northward journey | The sharks may be feeding on local doughboy scallops and then travelling north to lay eggs. | Hypothesis suggested by IMAS; no direct evidence yet links the 2024 gathering to scallop feeding or a subsequent journey. |
| Reproductive movement | The aggregation may be connected with movement to or from a breeding area. | Possible reproductive explanation, but the survey did not establish a breeding route or timing. |
| Regular seasonal gathering | The site could be used repeatedly at a particular time of year. | Unresolved. Sightings in 2018 and 2024 show recurrence across years, not an established annual cycle. |
The fact that all visible animals were female makes feeding and reproduction especially important questions, but sex alone cannot distinguish between those explanations. Researchers need observations from additional years and conditions before assigning a cause.
What the 2018 and 2024 sightings establish
The second sighting answers one narrow question: the 2018 aggregation was not necessarily a one-time event. It does not prove that the sharks return every year, that the gathering occurs in August, or that the animals follow the same route afterward.
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Dr Monk said the discovery raised questions about whether it was an annual gathering and whether the sharks come to feast on scallops before heading to a breeding ground. He described the repeat observations as a potential “longitudinal study”—a series of surveys that can reveal change over time rather than a conclusion from one dramatic video.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Beagle Marine Park matters
Beagle Marine Park is being monitored with repeat seabed imagery so scientists and managers can compare habitat and animal communities over time. Those comparisons help evaluate whether protection is working and how the seafloor changes after disturbance.
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Trawling and scallop dredging were banned in the area more than 15 years ago. IMAS links the surveys to recovery of the seafloor after those activities ended. The shark aggregation therefore matters beyond its striking appearance: it is evidence that the park contains habitat used by a large, highly concentrated group of animals and is worth continuing to study.
What researchers still need to find out
Continued surveys are needed to separate the competing explanations. The most useful evidence would show whether similar groups appear at the same time of year, whether their numbers and sex composition change, and whether food resources or nearby habitat conditions coincide with the gatherings.
Until those observations exist, the careful conclusion is limited but significant: female Port Jackson sharks have been documented resting together at this site in both 2018 and 2024. Their exact reason for assembling—and whether the gathering follows a dependable schedule—remains unresolved.
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