All-Girl Shark Sleepover: The Woke Edition

So, you thought girl sleepovers were all about footy pajamas and face masks? Think again, because researchers just crashed the ultimate girls-only shark slumber party. Yep, you heard it right. An all-girl shark sleepover was spotted in Australia's Beagle Marine Park, and it's giving us major squad goals.

Port Jackson sharks, dressed in their finest sea-floor PJs, were caught on camera in a 'very cutesy, very demure' gathering. An underwater robot, remotely operated from the South Australian Research and Development Institute, captured the fabulous event.

"A spectacular scene was relayed to us by a remotely operated vehicle equipped with seven cameras that was custom built by Boxfish Robotics in collaboration with [the University of Tasmania Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies]," said Jacquomo Monk, the research team leader. "There were thousands of sharks tightly packed like a carpet spread across the seafloor.”

'Girls just wanna have fun': Watch girls-only shark slumber party

Six years ago, researchers spotted the sharks during their first survey of the park. This time, they returned for two weeks on a mission led by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) to see if the area had changed.

The research is funded by the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program and a "grant of sea time from the Southern Australian Coastal Research Vessel Fleet with National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy funding."

The team's findings will help park managers assess how close the park is to meeting its conservation goals. Because even sharks deserve a safe space to chill.

The Lowdown on Port Jackson Sharks

These medium-sized sharks can grow up to 5.5 feet and are native to Australia. Mainly used for research or caught as bycatch, recent studies suggest high embryonic mortality rates, so monitoring is key to prevent overfishing.

These nocturnal beauties rest during the day and hunt at night. And guess what? No reports of a Port Jackson shark attacking a human. They may be considered harmless, but don't mess with them.

The Mystery of the All-Female Slumber Party

Finding the sharks twice in a 1158-square-mile park? That's like finding a needle in a haystack! The all-female slumber party has raised more questions than answers.

"This poses more questions than answers for us, but we know that the males and females of this species often live apart, except when mating," said Monk. "We don’t know exactly why the females are here. Perhaps they are feasting on the local delicacy – doughboy scallops – before the long trip north to lay their eggs."

Maybe they just needed a girls' night out. We feel you, shark sisters.

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY, covering everything from local businesses to tech and pop culture. Connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter , Instagram and TikTok : @juliamariegz