“White shark” by Pterantula (Terry Goss) at en.wikipedia
Scientists have made a huge discovery: South Carolina and Georgia coastal regions are home to more than just beach going families and local surfers, but also to baby great white sharks.
In the waters off of Beaufort County, great whites are starting families in what has become “the prime birthing location of the north Atlantic Ocean,” according to some marine scientists who study the silent and ancient predators.
One shark in particular has caught scientists’ attention. Mary Lee – a 16 foot, 3,450-pound pregnant great white – appears to be swimming toward Hilton Head Island. The only logical conclusion? To give birth.
Chris Fischer, Flunder of OCEARCH, a nonprofit organization specializing in predator research, tagged Mary Lee in 2012 off the coast of Cape Cod with a device that “pings” her location each time she breaches the water’s surface. For more than a year and a half, they’ve watched her swim up and down the East Coast.
And speaking of “pings”, OCEARCH’s website is home to a Global Shark Tracker, which allows visitors to track the coolest kind of world travelers.
“When I look at (Mary Lee’s) track, it appears to me that (the) region is likely to be part of that birthing, breeding-site puzzle,” Fischer said Friday. “She’s an old, mature shark who knows where she’s going. Her recent movements are consistent with the patterns of pregnant sharks.”
This data and research is big news for the scientific community. Now, thanks to OCEARCH, hard data is replacing what fishermen and scientists have only estimated. Understanding how sharks navigate the expanses of ocean they cover (in mere days) and knowing where they breed and give birth represents milestones in terms of great white research.
“It all makes sense when you can see systems unfolding around the world, and they all sync up,” Fischer said. “It’s been amazing to be a part of it.”