JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A 2,000 pound shark tagged by OCEARCH is now swimming in the waters off the coast of Georgia. Lydia pinged Sunday at 6:37 p.m. about 50 miles off the coast of Kingsland. This is seventh time the shark has pinged since she was tagged by OCEARCH on March 3, 2012.
Lydia is a 2,000 pound, 14-foot long female, named after Lydia Moss Bradley, the founder of Bradley University. The Great White is the third to visit our area since late last year.
Mary Lee (16 feet long, 3,400 pounds) and Genie (14 feet long, 2300 pounds) also meandered their way south from the Cape Cod area. Monday Mary Lee was pinged just east of the Bahamas. Genie is swimming just west of Hilton Head, South Carolina.
NOAA says it's not uncommon to see Great White sharks off our coastline. The sharks migrate to the warmer waters here to feed.
The OCEARCH research team launched it's 16th shark tagging expedition in Jacksonville on February 2nd. Researchers tag sharks to learn more information about their daily lives and the challenges these animals face. Shark populations worldwide are in danger, and declining in areas where they were once common.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has determined that of the shark and ray species assessed, 30 percent are threatened or near-threatened with extinction. The purpose of Expedition Jacksonville is to shed light on the greatest threats to great white sharks and what can be done to save them.
