Researchers track great white shark in Long Island Sound

A great white shark was tracked off the the coast of Greenwich in the Long Island Sound, according to researchers.

News 12 Staff

May 20, 2019, 8:37 PM

Updated 1,967 days ago

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A great white shark was tracked off the coast of Greenwich in Long Island Sound, according to researchers. 
Researchers with the group OCEARCH tracked the great white shark named Cabot in the Sound Monday. He was pinged off the coast of Greenwich but has since returned to the Atlantic Ocean.
OCEARCH, which tags and electronically tracks ocean wildlife, says it's the first time a great white has pinged in the Sound.
Cabot, who naturally has his own Twitter account, is 9 foot, 8 inches long and is named after explorer John Cabot. His Twitter bio says he was named by SeaWorld using suggestions from Nova Scotians.
Experts at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk say the shark was likely looking for seals to eat. Those near the shoreline in Greenwich say they are not surprised about the shark because the waters are getting warmer. 
 
Cabot pinged in Delaware Bay earlier this month, after spending some time off the coast of North Carolina's Outer Banks.
Chris Fischer, OCEARCH's founding chairman and expedition leader, says the 500-pound-plus shark was tagged last year off Nova Scotia and has traveled as far south as Florida.

Fischer says it's not unheard of for great whites to be in the Sound, but "We were quite surprised to see this one so far to the west." He says the shark is probably after bait fish.
Great whites have a predictable migratory pattern, and can move 100 to 150 miles per day, and he expects Cabot to exit the Sound and continue north.
 
Associated Press wire services contributed to this report.