www.yahoo.com
17-foot white shark caught off Nova Scotia declared a 3,541-pound ‘Queen of the Ocean’
She is more than 50 years old and covered with scars and scratches.
Social & Lifestyle
A 17-foot, 2-inch great white shark weighing an astounding 3,541 pounds was captured Friday in the Northwest Atlantic by researchers with OCEARCH.
To put that in perspective, a Ford F-150 pickup is 17 feet, 5 inches long.
Expedition leader Chris Fischer told McClatchy News the shark is more than 50 years old and counts as the largest white shark the nonprofit has tagged in the Northwest Atlantic. It is also among the 12 biggest white sharks he has tagged off Africa and in the Pacific, he said.
“She is a very old creature, a proper Queen of the Ocean and a matriarch. She has all the scars, healed wounds and discolorations that tell a deep, rich story of her life going back years,” Fischer told McClatchy News.
“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.”
The shark was caught off Nova Scotia and researchers rushed to collect data for 21 research projects, including an ultra sound, bacteria samples off her teeth and fecal samples to learn her diet. Blood, muscle and skin samples were also taken for medical research.