Scientists in the Galápagos recently discovered a natural breeding site, or nursery, for scalloped hammerhead sharks—good news for an endangered species that they are working to track and conserve.

The nursery was discovered along the coast of Santa Cruz Island in November, adding to the archipelago's importance as one of the most densely populated zones for sharks in the world.

Researchers are returning to the site now to begin collecting data and tagging the sharks for further study. This species of shark can live as long as 30 years, providing a potentially long window of data on where they go, what they eat, and more.

Scalloped hammerhead sharks are using the sheltered, crustacean-filled mangroves along Santa Cruz Island to breed.