JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Scientists are tracking two Great White Sharks off the coast of Jacksonville Beach.
The first shark is a 16-foot female named Mary Lee that weighs nearly 3,500 pounds. The second shark is a 14-foot-long female named Genie that weighs 2,292 pounds. Both sharks are being tracked by the global shark tracking website Ocearch, in the area near 6th Avenue South and 1st Street South in Jacksonville Beach.
Mary Lee was tracked at high tide 200 yards from the shoreline Monday night.
Whatever path the two predators take, you can count on Mike McCallister to follow their every move. The marine researcher helped develop a database for the University of North Florida. McCallister encourages people to report every Great White Shark sighting on the
Web site.
"Having these sharks tagged, the public being able to see and follow, generates awareness and overall good for shark conservation and science in general," said McCallister.
In September, biologists tagged Mary Lee off the coast of Cape Cod, Mass. Since then, she has slowly been making her way down the East Coast.
Trackers are attached to both sharks' dorsal fins, and every time the fin comes out of the water, an alert goes off on an
online shark tracker.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration biologist Dr. John Carlson says it is common to see Great Whites off our coast in the winter because they are migrating to warmer waters.
Carlson also says the sharks pose no immediate threat to humans but to use caution like you would with any other wild animal.
