Description
Spring break may be over, but it appears one massive predator is looking to enjoy the warm Florida waters for a little longer.
An 11-foot, 2-inch great white shark named Dold has been swimming in the Gulf for the past week, according to ocean research non-profit OCEARCH. Most recently, he pinged at 12:32 p.m. Monday several miles off the coast of Marco Island — which, according to researchers, is pretty unusual.
“This is a little surprising because at this time of year, Spring, white sharks in the gulf — we’d expect them to be starting to move out of the gulf and begin their northern migration," OCEARCH Data Scientist John Tyminski said in a post.
A "ping" happens when the shark's tag breaks the surface of the water.
OCEARCH also said Dold's ping sent a water temperature reading of 79.2 degrees, which is "on the warm side for a white shark."
At 761 pounds, Dold is a sub-adult male. He's named after Dr. Christopher Dold of SeaWorld, who is credited with connecting key industry experts to drive shark research forward.