Pregnant grey nurse sharks at Wolf Rock, Double Island | Video

Dozens of heavily pregnant grey nurse sharks are congregating off Double Island Point before their departure down south to give birth. WATCH VIDEO HERE

A monitoring program by the Department of Environment and Science has captured stunning vision of dozens of heavily pregnant grey nurse sharks congregating at Wolf Rock.

Senior Conservation Officer Dr Carley Kilpatrick said Wolf Rock – a set of four volcanic pinnacles near Double Island Point – is considered vital to the ongoing survival and potential recovery of grey nurse populations.

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“Wolf Rock in the Great Sandy Marine Park is the only known gestation site for the east coast grey nurse shark population,” Dr Kilpatrick said.

“The east coast population of grey nurse sharks is thought to number less than 2000 individuals, and the species is listed as endangered in Queensland.”

Marine rangers estimated there were more than 50 pregnant females moving gracefully at Wolf Rock. Picture: DES

Dr Kilpatrick said the mature females have been at Wolf Rock for almost a year and are expected to depart “any day now” to New South Wales waters to give birth.

“After the birth, they’ll rest for two to three years and then return to Wolf Rock to breed again,” she said.

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“During our latest monitoring trip, marine rangers estimated there were more than 50 pregnant females moving gracefully at Wolf Rock.

“To witness a shiver of sharks moving slowly around at Wolf Rock is absolutely magnificent, and the rangers are incredibly fortunate.”

Dr Kilpatrick said the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service conducts regular monitoring programs at Wolf Rock by using visual counts, photo-identification and acoustic telemetry work.

“This is extremely important work, because it allows us to identify and monitor individual sharks through photos and videos,” she said.

“Our tagged sharks are providing some really great intel about how they use these important sites as well.

Dozens of heavily pregnant grey nurse sharks are congregating at Wolf Rock off Double Island Point before their departure down south to give birth. Picture: DES

Dr Kilpatrick said the female grey nurse reaches sexual maturity around nine to 10 years of age and has a gestation period of around 12 months.

“She will give birth to two pups every two to three years, so the grey nurse shark population is slow growing,” she said.

The dive team also recorded a few mature male sharks who will now wait patiently for the arrival of a new group of females from NSW waters for the next mating season.

Dr Kilpatrick said the female grey nurse reaches sexual maturity around nine to 10 years of age and has a gestation period of around 12 months.

“There are four designated grey nurse shark areas in Queensland, three in the Moreton Bay Marine Park and Wolf Rock in the Great Sandy Marine Park,” Dr Kilpatrick said.

“These designated grey nurse shark areas protect the species and their habitat, while overlapping marine national park zones minimise potential harm caused directly or indirectly to the population by human activities.”