Watch the adorable moment two endangered leopard sharks are released in Indonesia

Two Indo-Pacific leopard shark pups have been released in their native waters of Raja Ampat, Indonesia, marking an important milestone in the global effort to restore this endangered species to the wild. 

The Indo-Pacific leopard shark, also known as the zebra shark (Stegostoma tigrinum), occurs in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region. The species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, having disappeared from much of its historic range due to overfishing and habitat loss. 

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The pups, named Jelly and Bestie, were released just outside the Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre (RARCC) nursery on Kri Island, Indonesia, in late August 2026. 

But their story began thousands of miles away in Tacoma, Washington, USA, when leopard sharks Peanut and Butter produced seven genetically valuable eggs at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (PDZA) (which is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums).

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The eggs were sent to Indonesia for the rewilding effort. Both pups were hatched and raised at RARCC through the StAR (Stegostoma tigrinum Augmentation and Recovery) Project – part of the global ReShark initiative to rebuild wild Indo-Pacific leopard shark populations. 

Now swimming free in the wild, both young sharks are carrying satellite tags that will help researchers learn how they adapt to life in their native habitat.

Jelly received a fin-mounted SPOT tag, which provides a GPS location when she surfaces. Bestie is wearing a MicroPAT tag programmed to detach after approximately three months, collecting detailed diving data as well as GPS location at release and tag recovery. 

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Jelly was released alongside the StAR Indonesia team, while Bestie was returned to the ocean with the help of local schoolchildren, who adopted and named the pup.

“This is exactly what we hope for when we talk about conservation,” said Chris Spaulding, a curator at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. “Their releases are a powerful reminder that conservation partnerships can have an impact thousands of miles from home.”

See more images of the sharks:

Top image: one of the leopard shark pups, Bestie. Credit: Mark Erdmann/Reshark