A Queensland scientist has developed a world-first technique to try and save the Great Barrier Reef’s leopard sharks from extinction where they’re threatened around the world.
In a world-first bid to save the species globally, Uni SC’S Dr Christine Dudgeon is extracting semen from male leopard sharks off North Stradbroke Island.
Dr Christine Dudgeon has been working with her team on a world-first to harvest the semen underwater and then artificially inseminate females in captivity in Australia and Singapore.
Harvesting semen underwater sounds tricky but Dr Dudgeon says the sharks are easy to work with when turned on their backs.
She says the babies will play a vital role in breeding in areas of the world where leopard sharks are under threat.
