The unusual appearance of a large predator off the coast of southwest Florida has marine experts excited about what that could mean for the area.
Talker News reported that a 12-foot juvenile great white shark named Ernst was tracked moving towards Pulley Ridge.
Ernst is one of a hundred tagged great whites being monitored by OCEARCH. Its founder and expedition leader, Chris Fischer, noted that the increased great white shark activity in Pulley Ridge is a good sign.
"You're winning when your white sharks are hanging out in a place like that," he said.
As an apex predator, the great white shark is an essential part of a healthy ocean ecosystem. With over 300 teeth, there's not much a great white shark can't handle, though those mighty gnashers don't actually chew, but rather tear off smaller chunks of flesh to be swallowed whole, per the World Wildlife Fund.
As hunters and scavengers, they clean up the oceans and protect some of the most important habitats, such as kelp and seagrass patches, from overgrazing.
As well as guarding vital natural blue carbon sinks, sharks themselves absorb massive amounts of carbon over their long lives and take it with them when they perish. Just like whales, a shark's demise kicks off a feeding frenzy on the ocean's floor.
Despite their prominence, there's actually a lot marine biologists have yet to learn about great white sharks, as the International Fund for Animal Welfare noted.
The story highlights the immense importance of monitoring and tagging threatened species. As with trail cameras, remotely following an animal's migration patterns can reveal key insights to raise awareness and aid conservation efforts.
Ernst is a particularly valuable study, as she's yet to reach her full size and sexual maturity. Once she does, Fischer and his team will be watching closely to see how that affects her migration patterns.
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Definitely 👍 The increased presence of great whites in the area is an intriguing case for researchers to consider, as it's not yet clear what's driving the migration.
"It's fascinating to watch this story of the Gulf continue to unfold," Fischer told Talker News.
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