BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Massive 11-foot great white shark pings off Florida coast ahead of spring break season

(Getty Images)

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

maylen

https://digital-stage.newsnationnow.com/

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241114185800

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241115200405

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118165728

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118184948

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A huge great white shark pinged off the coast of Florida this week, just before the state is expected to have an influx of spring breakers.

The shark, named Maple, pinged southeast of St. George Island, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday morning, according to OCEARCH’s Global Shark Tracker.

OCEARCH reported that Maple measured 11 feet, 7 inches long, and weighed in at 1,264 pounds.

“Over the past two seasons, Maple has spent much of her winter in the Gulf of Mexico,” OCEARCH explained in a Facebook post.

Maple was named after the maple leaf, one of Canada’s national emblems, according to the organization’s website. The massive great white also has a distinctive wound on the left side of her body.

The research team said they believe Maple got the wound from a “recent interaction with another larger white shark.”

“It is not uncommon for sharks to show their dominance over a smaller animal of their species by delivering a significant but non-fatal bite,” the website read.

OCEARCH is a global non-profit organization that conducts research on “our ocean’s giants” to collect data for educational and conservation efforts.

“Our mission is to accelerate the ocean’s return to balance and abundance through fearless innovations in critical scientific research, education, outreach, and police using unique collaborations of individuals and organizations in the U.S. and abroad,” the organization says.

Anyone wanting to track great whites or stay up to date with Maple’s whereabouts can visit the Global Shark Tracker at OCEARCH’s official website.

Southeast

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241119133138

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Fair

la

69°F Fair Feels like 69°
Wind
7 mph SW
Humidity
26%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.
47°F A few passing clouds. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
2 mph N
Precip
9%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous