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For the first time, a grey seal has been caught on camera clapping underwater.

It might not sound like a big deal (we've seen seals clap before!) but this is the first time it's been captured happening in the wild.

A researcher at Newcastle University, Dr Ben Burville, has been trying to film the unique sound for 17 YEARS!

He finally managed it during the seals' breeding season near Northumberland.

His video has been used as part of an international study led by Monash University in Australia.

It's thought that wild seals clap to either ward off other male seals or to attract females.

The loud high-frequency noise is able to cut through background noise in the water and sends out clear signals to other seals in the area.

"I was diving off the Farne Islands when I first saw a large male clap underwater. The effect of the clap was instant and the rival males rapidly dispersed," said Dr Burville.

He added: "The clap was incredibly loud and at first I found it hard to believe what I had seen. How could a seal make such a loud clap underwater with no air to compress between its flippers?...One day I had heard a couple of claps in the distance, I just hit the record button and eureka! I got it!"

Seals are no strangers to clapping. They're known for making the loud noise at places like zoos and aquariums, but unlike seals who are trained to slap their flippers together, it looks like grey seals carry out the action naturally.

Dr David Hocking from Monash University said: "Clapping appears to be an important social behaviour for grey seals, so anything that disturbed it could impact breeding success and survival for this species."