Great white shark GPS tag recovered along NC coast

Researchers in Massachusetts are thanking the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium after they were able to locate a lost GPS tag that came off of a great white shark while it was swimming along the Massachusetts coast earlier this year.

The shark wasn't even near our coast when its GPS tag came off and currents brought it all the way down to the Cape Lookout National Seashore where aquarists located it.

Those at the aquarium say the device once set on the dorsal fin of the nearly 13 foot great white shark named Madaket Millie, who weighed in at close to 950 pounds when she was originally tagged by OCEARCH in September of 2016.

The shark, which has spent most of its time around the coast of Massachusetts, was being followed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute when their time release tag came off.

In addition to being able to track the shark's whereabouts, the tag also stores other important information like how deep they dive and how long they stay at those depths and the water temperature where they are spending time.

Officials at the aquarium say that while Madaket Millie was not off of our coast, great whites do migrate through this area, but for the most part do not spend very much time here and in most cases they stay a ways off of the coast, so visitors should not be worried.

The aquarium says they will be returning the tag to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute next week so they can better understand the habits of Madaket Millie.