No it's not shark week, but this 16-foot, 3,456-pound great white know as the real life "Jaws" is stealing headlines as it continues to make appearances off the coast of Long Island.
Her name is Mary Lee and she is captivating scientist by giving them an opportunity to study the shark like they never before.
Through a process called tagging, scientists are able to track the "real life 'Jaws'" and now you can too. Click here to follow Mary Lee's journey down the eastern sea coast.
The further she remains from the coast the better, at least scientists will prefer, for her safety and probably the safety of many.
Mary Lee was first tagged in Sept. 12 of last year off the coast of Cape Cod. From there, she made her way to the warmer waters off Florida and scientists were able to pick up the exact date Mary Lee arrived, it was Jan. 9.
Through tagging, the "real life 'Jaws'" is monitored and appears on their radar whenever her fin breaks the plain of the surface of the water. For scientists, this is extremely exciting because this real life Jaws is giving them an opportunity of a lifetime. By far, Mary Lee is the most active shark they've ever tagged and one of two great whites tagged by the program.
"Most of the sharks we have tagged swim out in the ocean and we don't hear from them much, but Mary Lee is super coastal -- people are following her everyday," said OCEARCH's founding chairman Chris Fischer. "Until now, many researchers have never gotten up close to a great white. And Mary Lee is the first shark in history we are able to track like this."
OCEARCH is a Utah-based nonprofit organization that "tagged" the shark.
"We hope people become more enlightened and a conversation is started, especially since we opened up this tracker for the world to see," he said. "When we think of a great white, we usually think of 'Jaws' music, but now people are asking what is she doing? Where is she going?"
So check it out and follow this unique experience as Mary Lee continues to awe scientist and help them understand this species that has terrorized the dreams of millions. It could be a scientific breakthrough which leads experts to learn more about this species.
