Rare close-up encounter with wild endangered species Zebra Leopard Shark (Stegostoma fasciatum) - HD stock video

This stunning, rare Zebra/Leopard Shark (Stegostoma fasciatum) footage was captured whilst scuba diving in the Andaman Sea, Krabi, Thailand. Leopard sharks are a type of Elasmobranch and are more commonly known as Zebra sharks. They are gentle, mainly nocturnal creatures, who actively hunt at night for molluscs, crustaceans, small bony fishes, and sea snakes. Leopard Sharks have recently been re-classified from 'Vulnerable to Extinction' to 'Endangered Species’ on the IUCN red list, due to being hunted for their meat and liver oil. Although their numbers are declining at a rapid rate, they are not yet a protected species. This footage shows their natural behaviour in the wild, as it rests on the coral reef through the day.