Giant 17ft great white shark latest data-provider for Ocearch

A research team, Ocearch, which tags sharks to collect data and inform science, has caught, tagged and released a giant 17ft 2inch shark weighing over 3,500lbs, in the Northwest Atlantic just off Nova Scotia.

Chris Fischer, who led the expedition, told McClatchy News the shark was more than 50-years old and it is the biggest shark the non-profit has tagged.

“She has all the scars, healed wounds and discolouration’s that tell a deep, rich story of her life going back years,” Fischer says.

“You feel different when you’re standing beside a shark of that size compared to the ones in the 2,000-pound range.

“It’s an emotional, humbling experience that can make you feel small.

“You feel insignificant standing next to such an ancient animal.”

According to a Facebook post, researchers named the shark Nukumi, in honour of a ‘legendary wise old grandmother figure of the Native American Mi’kmaq people’.

Nukumi’s data has been collected for 21 research projects, including an ultra sound, bacteria samples off her teeth and faecal samples to learn her diet, according to The Star.

Blood, muscle and skin samples were also taken for research about the species.

Ocearch fitted the shark with three tags, including one to record how deep she goes and another that will track her movements for the next five years.