SPRING BREAK-FAST: 'Scot' the monstrous 12ft-long great white shark seen lurking off Florida Keys
MIAMI, FLORIDA: A massive great white shark was spotted in the Florida Keys as thousands of Spring Break revelers are headed to the state's popular beaches. The 12ft marine predator, named Scot, was reportedly sighted in Key West, per OCEARCH's Global Shark Tracker.
OCEARCH is a "global non-profit organization conducting unprecedented research on our ocean's giants in order to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean," per its website. According to Florida Insider, over half a million college students traveled to the Sunshine State in 2022 and at least 16 beachgoers were bitten in shark attacks over the course of the same year.
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"We met this mature, male shark in Nova Scotia in September 2021 and have been able to track him for over 10,000 miles since!" OCEARCH wrote on Facebook alongside a video of Scot.
Tracking Great White Sharks
This comes after another gigantic 11ft great weight shark was tracked by the company earlier in March just off the coast of St George Island, Florida. The shark, named Maple, reportedly had a bite mark that likely came from tussling with an "even larger" beast. According to OCEARCH, the female apex predator is identifiable by the distinctive bite wound on her left side and has spent the last two winter seasons swimming around the gulf coast. Maple was reportedly spotted about 43 miles off the coast, thereby raising concerns about the safety of spring breakers at the popular tourist destination.
A number of other great whites have been spotted off the Gulf Coast of Florida in recent months. Keji, a 9ft 7in-long shark weighing 578 pounds, was tracked near Sarasota on February 28, per OCEARCH. Prior to that, Sable, a 10ft 6in-long shark weighing 807 pounds, was spotted near the Panhandle on January 27, the agency said.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), these sharks have a tendency to approach the shore in spring and summer, with numbers peaking in Florida between April and October. Speaking to CBS News, Brent Winner, a scientist for the FWC, said swimmers should exercise caution before stepping into the waters. "It's very important for people who visit Florida waters to be aware of their surroundings, understand the relative risks, and be educated on various shark issues such as behavior, biology, and fisheries," he said. It's important to note that the US recorded the highest number of unprovoked attacks from sharks in 2022 with a total of 41 incidents, which is nearly five times more than those reported in Australia.
Scot's origins
Scot was first found on September 8, 2021, off the West Ironbound Island in Canada. He was christened by OCEARCH partner, SeaWorld, who named him after the people of Nova Scotia "who have always been so welcoming and committed to the science and health of our oceans." Scot is reportedly the 74th great white shark that has been tagged, sampled and released by OCEARCH in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. According to the agency, female great white sharks were usually larger than their male counterparts and can grow up to 16ft. What's more? Some great whites can reach up to a staggering 20ft.