Three tagged sharks, including two great whites, have been pinging in the Gulf of Mexico within range of the central Gulf Coast, according to tracking data from the research group Ocearch.
The Sharks Being Followed
Cabot, a male great white measuring 9 feet 8 inches and weighing 533 pounds, recently registered south of Mobile Bay. So did Edithe, a female great white at 11 feet 8 inches and 1,185 pounds.
Nearby in the same stretch of water was SouthJaw, a male tiger shark measuring 8 feet 5 inches and weighing about 200 pounds.
How the Tracking Works
Ocearch fits sharks with satellite tags mounted to the dorsal fin. Each time the fin breaks the surface long enough, the tag transmits a location, which appears on the group’s public tracking map. That means a “ping” marks where a shark surfaced, not a continuous path, and gaps of days or weeks between reports are routine.
Great whites are seasonal visitors to the northern Gulf rather than permanent residents, and researchers have used tagging data in recent years to document how far into the Gulf the species ranges during cooler months.