Surfers in New York have to deal with flat spells, wind swell, crowded city breaks. And now this: Researchers have just discovered the the southern coast of Long Island is a great white shark nursery and possibly the birthing site for the local population. (By the way, Santa Monica Bay is pretty much the same thing.)
While Jaws-like 16 footers are occasionally found in these waters, four-foot juveniles are a frequent catch — a unique feature in the North Atlantic. The scientists noticed that such a mature shark was returning to the area after being caught and tagged last year, leading them to the nursery theory. They spent two weeks trying to catch and tag juvenile whites, hauling in an impressive nine specimen.
#ExpeditionNY: Say hello to young-of-the-year 5ft 72lbs male white shark Manhattan! bit.ly/WSManhattan
Great whites aren’t federally protected, but the scientists say the juveniles’ presence signals a healthy ecosystem. After presumably being birthed in this area, the youngsters will hang around for 20 years before heading farther afield.
Check out Ocearch’s Shark Tracker to find out where fish tagged by the organization are…Or not. Do you really need that running through your head as you paddle out?
