PARK CITY, Utah — A great white shark fitted with GPS tracker drew a “self-portrait” of sorts in the Atlantic Ocean. The 13-foot predator named Breton was the first shark to be tagged during non-profit research group OCEARCH’s expedition to Nova Scotia in 2020.
Whenever Breton surfaces for sufficient time, the tag in his dorsal fin “pings” a GPS location back to shark trackers at the science organization. The 1,437lb great white shark has traveled along the East Coast off New Jersey, Chincoteague in Virginia, and Long Bay in South Carolina.
As it turns out, his movements have mapped out the shape of a shark, during his 444-day journey. It’s a self-portrait like none other.
One observer on social media wrote: “Apex predator-level scientist trolling.” Another added: “Jaws? More like Draws.”
Breton’s location was first tagged on September 12, 2020 at 1 a.m. at Scaterie Island, Nova Scotia. Recently, the great white shark has been tagged on September 21, 2022 at 3.29 a.m. off the coast of Baie de Plaisance, Quebec.
According to the agency, OCEARCH is a data-centric organization built to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean while open sourcing our research and explorations. Open sourcing and inclusion at every level, and in real-time, allows the world to participate in our projects while being aware of the developing science. Several peer-reviewed papers have been published based on OCEARCH expeditions and resulting studies, and there are more in preparation. The studies, once published, become a basis for informed policy and management decisions.
Report by Dean Murray, South West News Service
