A female great white shark has been spotted twice off the coast of Alabama in the past few weeks, according to researchers at the University of South Alabama.
The shark, now known as Miss Paula after one of America’s mascots, is about 8 feet long and about 15 years old, based on her size. The researchers said great white sharks live for more than 50 years, so they probably won’t reach maturity until they’re at least 30 years old.
The university said she was discovered on two separate occasions while researchers were monitoring fish movements near an artificial reef in Alabama.
The first sighting occurred in mid-April with underwater cameras during a field trip with researchers from Mississippi State University and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Institute, and the second sighting occurred 10 days later. By May 3, she was no longer seen in the area.
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A female great white shark, about 8 feet long, was spotted twice off the coast of Alabama last month. (University of South Alabama)
Dr. Sean Powers, from the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, said sightings of great white sharks off the coast of Alabama are unusual because they tend to stay in cooler waters off the coast of New England and California. They are also sometimes found deep in the Gulf of Mexico.
The reef where Miss Paula was sighted was only about 150 feet deep, making this the first sighting in the area recorded by scientists.
“We have surveyed more than 1,000 artificial and natural reef areas over the past 10 years, providing scientific data to help manage Alabama’s offshore fisheries,” Powers said. “This is the first recorded sighting of a great white shark.”
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Great white sharks are easily identified by their distinctive scar pattern, usually on their heads and fins, the university said. (University of South Alabama)
Great white sharks were reportedly spotted off the coast of Alabama recently, with one being captured by a fisherman and another washing up dead on a beach in the Florida Panhandle. As a result, researchers believe the species may be more widespread in the northern Gulf of Mexico than expected.
The university says great white sharks are easily identified by distinctive scar markings, especially on their heads and fins, so scientists usually name them so their movements can be tracked.
Miss Paula had not previously been recorded, so the university allowed her name to be published. Researchers at the school are already tracking a 12-foot-long tiger shark, also named South Joe, after the U.S. mascot.
Miss Paula is estimated to be approximately 15 years old based on her size. (University of South Alabama)
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“Alabama has a rich marine ecosystem, and sharks are an important part of it,” the university said in a news release. Great white sharks are federally protected and, if captured, must be released alive. He added that it would not be possible.
