Extraordinary footage has emerged from South Africa, where a beachgoer is seen operating on a pregnant dead shark on a Cape Town beach and saving her three baby shark pups.

The female, who filmed the incident, proposed the dead shark might be pregnant after seeing movement on the shark's underside, reported The Independent.

This video is a good example of respect to all forms of life. You cannot help but admire the beachgoers that helped the baby sharks live a life in the ocean. - YouTube

A man is next seen slashing open the dead shark's abdomen and revealing several moving sacks as the crowd is heard screaming in excitement.

The man then cuts open one of the sacks and allows the baby shark pup out.

He is also seen carrying the pup into the ocean a few minutes later after initially hesitating to go too close to the sacks, since sharks are born with a full set of teeth.

The man then rescues two more baby shark pups after unleashing them from their sacks.

An onlooker is heard saying "this is the coolest thing I have ever seen."

The video has so far attracted over 359k visitors online.

Published on Monday (1 December), a description under the video reads: "This video is a good example of respect to all forms of life. A dead shark was washed ashore on the beach when a lady notices something strange. You cannot help but admire the beach goers that helped the baby sharks live a life in the ocean."

Shark pups are able to feed and live on their own after birth and usually swim away from their mother to prevent being eaten.