On Friday, a the non-profit OCEARCH organisation said that a great white shark weighing 2,000 pounds (908)kilos) returned to the waters of northern Bahamas. This information was said to be revealed thanks to a GPS device that was attached to the marine predator on a previous occasion when it was discovered roaming.
.@PL_Davide @ChrisOCEARCH @RockStarLydia‘s pinging towards the #Bahamas now! http://t.co/U1MCqHvbgQ #SharkTracker pic.twitter.com/U8XwDbwalE
— OCEARCH (@OCEARCH) March 9, 2015
In a tweet by the ocean research group, they shared that the nearly 14.5-foot female shark they call Lydia has been tracked for just over two years. Since she was first tagged near Jacksonville, Florida on the 3rd of March 2013, she has travelled some 34,500 miles. Last year, she etched her niche in history in the UK with her arrival that was made noted as the first great white shark to have crossed the Atlantic ocean.
A National Geographic report which referred to her record crossing stated: “Researchers had suspected great whites could make such a journey, but none had previously been documented doing so. The shark now also holds the distinction of traveling the farthest of any known great white. This champion swimmer blew past the previous record holder, a female that swam from South Africa to western Australia and back—crossing the Indian Ocean both ways, for a total of 12,427 miles in 2004.”
The 1975 blockbuster movie “Jaws”, which was based on Peter Benchley’s bestselling novel, captured the imagination of many viewers of the great white sharks.
These great white sharks and other large apex predators are researched and carefully monitored by non-profit organization OCEARCH. Tons of students from different institutions have collaborated with the group to complete research papers on aquatic life. You can follow Lydia’s movements live here.
