FLORIDA – Florida’s warm waters are making headlines, and it’s not because of the weather. A massive great white shark named Breton has been spotted near the coast, bringing excitement and a touch of mystery to the region.
Breton is more than 14 feet long, more than 1,400 pounds and he loves coming to Florida.
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The great white shark, tracked by the non-profit OCEARCH, has been giving important data to researchers. Every time his dorsal fin breaks the surface, it pings a signal, mapping his journey.
“He’s an impressive animal, and as I say, he’s shown us so much. He’s been amazing,” said John Tyminski, senior data scientist at OCEARCH.
Patterns in the ocean
Breton’s movements align with a natural rhythm that scientists believe is tied to reproduction.
“It makes more sense for them to be somewhat opportunistic,” Tyminski explained. “But there’s probably a general pattern to their reproductive cycle. That leads us to think it’s in the southeastern United States, around January to April.”
Breton might be here for more than a meal. But while he could be searching for a mate, there’s no need for swimmers to worry.
Tyminski highlighted the crucial role that apex predators like Breton play in maintaining ecological balance.
“Remove the top predators of our oceans, and the balance gets turned upside down,” Tyminski said. “That can have a cascading effect on our coral reefs, on our seagrass beds. I’m not just talking about white sharks in general. Our top predators are so important to exerting that top-down pressure and keeping things in balance.”
A world traveler’s tale
Breton is one of 92 white sharks tagged by OCEARCH in the North Atlantic. His journey has spanned over 40,000 miles in just four and a half years. OCEARCH’s tracking data reveals a fascinating map that almost resembles the shape of a shark.
“So we can go a week or two without hearing from him, or we can get multiple pings in one day. And it’s really a reflection of Breton’s behavior,” Tyminski said.
You can track Breton’s track here. In fact, he just pinged near Florida again as of Jan. 9.
Mayport as the hub for shark research
Breton’s story is part of the bigger picture. OCEARCH plans to establish its global headquarters in Mayport, Florida. The facility will serve as the southeast hub for shark research in the coming years.
“OCEARCH global headquarters is going to be built in Mayport, Florida, and we have some funding for that,” Tyminski shared. “We already have a dock in place to hold our ship, which is also called the OCEARCH. That’s going to take another couple of years before it’s finalized.”