3 min readNew DelhiJun 24, 2026 12:30 PM IST
Most sharks are known for one thing: swimming. But one newly discovered species has a very different talent — it can “walk.”
Scientists have identified a new species of walking shark in the waters of eastern Papua New Guinea. The findings were published in the Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation.
Known locally as “kadedekedewa,” or “lazy shark,” the unusual animal uses its fins to stroll across the seafloor and even drag itself between shallow tide pools when the tide goes out. While the idea of a shark that can walk might sound intimidating, there’s no need to worry. Walking sharks are small, harmless to humans, and far more interested in hunting tiny reef creatures than chasing people.
The newly described species, named Hemiscyllium dudgeonae, belongs to a small group of walking sharks found in the tropical waters around Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Unlike larger sharks that rely on powerful swimming, walking sharks use their pectoral and pelvic fins almost like legs. This allows them to move slowly across coral reefs, squeeze into tight spaces, and search for food among rocks and crevices. What’s even more remarkable is that they can survive out of water for short periods.
The scholar first spotted the meter-long shark in March 2025 in the waters of Milne Bay off (Image credit: Nesha Ichida)
Researchers say walking sharks can drag themselves across exposed tide pools at low tide, leaving most of their bodies out of the water for up to two hours.
The discovery began when researcher Jess Blakeway noticed that a shark her supervisor had brought to her had a colour pattern unlike any walking shark she had seen before. To find out whether it was truly different, scientists conducted genetic analyses and confirmed that the shark represented an entirely new species.
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The species has been named after Australian ecologist Christine Dudgeon, who has spent more than two decades studying walking sharks and first spotted the animal in March 2025 in the waters of Milne Bay, off the southeastern tip of Papua New Guinea.
“New shark species don’t come along that often, and it’s most definitely the first one named after me,” Dudgeon said in a statement.
To study the shark, researchers carried out 70 surveys across 35 reef sites, diving, snorkelling, and even walking through shallow reefs to find the elusive animals.
Unfortunately, the newfound shark may already be facing challenges. Researchers believe it has the smallest known geographic range of any walking shark species, making it particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and environmental changes. Because of this limited distribution, scientists say the species is likely to qualify for a threatened conservation status once it is formally assessed.
