Police officers help a shark mum trapped in an illegal fishing net to give birth to her pups off the coast of Brazil.
Amazing footage from the rescue shows the stricken Angelshark caught up in the net as her youngsters start to emerge.
One has already been born as it is stranded in the netting beside its mother.
But by carefully manipulating the mother’s body and genital papilla a police officer helps two others gently emerge.
One falls straight into the sea off the coast of Camburi Beach, in Ubatuba, while the other is also caught in the netting.
Painstakingly the officer frees the young sharks and lets them swim away.
Newsflash obtained a statement from the Brazilian Maritime Environmental Military Police dated 22nd December saying: “A spectacle of life and resilience!
“Yesterday, the Environmental Military Police delved deeply into their mission to protect our seas and witnessed a true miracle of nature.
“While patrolling the beaches of Ubatuba/SP, our maritime team discovered illegal fishing networks, threatening the balance of marine wildlife.
Sad End Of Beached Basking Shark
“When removing the nets from the water, the environmental heroes came across an exciting scene: a pregnant Angelshark [Squatina squatina] specimen trapped in a fishing net.
“And there, life was born, with babies blossoming as they were released into the ocean.
“Three Spotted eagle rays [Aetobatidae], 20 shark rays and four Angelsharks were rescued and returned to their natural habitat.
“But the story doesn’t end there. It is worth mentioning that these species are threatened with extinction, making this rescue even more symbolic.
“Let’s together preserve the life that pulses in our waters!”
The Angelshark and the shark ray (Rhina ancylostoma) are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Spotted eagle rays are listed as endangered.
Local media reported that the officers seized 1,500 metres (5,000 feet) of illegal nets and rescued about 30 trapped fish.
No arrests had been reported at the time of writing.
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