If there is anything that can soften the image of great white sharks, it has to be the word “pups.” Ocearch, the at-sea shark laboratory, reports the discovery of what is being called the North Atlantic nursery. This expedition of scientists and fishermen just tagged and tested nine great white shark pups in one week.
Seen here is the track of Gratitude, a 74 pound female pup, tagged just 4 days ago off of Montauk. I’m no scientist, but it looks like Gratitude was checking out Taylor Swift’s house.
CBS News spoke with Ocearch founder and expedition leader Chris Fischer on this exciting discovery.
In addition to applying the tags, the team is also taking blood samples and conducting muscle biopsies, with the goal of having the shark on and off the lift in under 15 minutes. And now, the team said it’s made history with the discovery of the birthing site.
“Definitely the nursery, likely the birthing site,” Fischer said. “Probably the most important significant discovery we’ve ever made on the ocean.”
Fischer’s team will also determine if any of these sharks are the offspring of great whites they first encountered off Cape Cod.
The CBS report ends with this disturbing thought: “They’re expected to stay in the area until they reach adulthood at the age of 20.” Soooo . . . where are all their older brothers and sisters?