BEACH HAVEN, NJ – A large great white shark named Mary Lee was the talk of the East Coast of the United States for years, but five years ago, she went silent. Mary Lee, weighing 2,639 pounds might still be lurking along the shores of the East Coast, but scientists can no longer track her.
On June 17, 2017, the 16-foot female great white shark was last documented just a few miles off the coast of Long Beach Island. Her disappearance remains a mystery.
The ocean is a realm of wonder and awe, inhabited by fascinating creatures that captivate our imaginations. One such mesmerizing resident was Mary Lee, a great white shark who became a popular figure among marine enthusiasts and researchers. However, Mary Lee’s presence in the shark tracking community abruptly came to an end, leaving many wondering why she no longer pings. In this blog post, we delve into the mysterious disappearance of Mary Lee and explore the possible reasons behind her silent absence.
Mary Lee, named after the mother of one of the tracking project’s co-founders, was a female great white shark who gained fame through OCEARCH, a non-profit organization that conducts research on these apex predators. Tagged in 2012 off the coast of Cape Cod, Mary Lee quickly became a social media sensation, amassing a large following eager to track her movements.
Through the use of satellite tags, OCEARCH enables scientists and the public to monitor the movements of tagged sharks in real-time. These tags periodically transmit signals or “pings” to satellites, providing valuable data about the sharks’ locations, migratory patterns, and behavior. Mary Lee’s pings fascinated thousands of people worldwide, providing invaluable insights into the life of a great white shark.
Unfortunately, since June 2017, Mary Lee has not transmitted any pings, leaving her dedicated followers and scientists concerned about her well-being and whereabouts. Despite extensive efforts to locate her, including aerial surveys and collaboration with other research organizations, her silence persists.
There are some possible explanations regarding Mary Lee’s disappearance.
It’s possible that Mary Lee’s tag malfunctioned or detached prematurely, rendering her untraceable. These tags have a limited lifespan and are subject to various environmental factors that can impact their performance.
Sharks, like any other living creature, have a finite lifespan. It’s plausible that Mary Lee passed away, as the average lifespan of a great white shark is estimated to be around 70 years. Determining the exact cause of her disappearance would require locating her remains or confirming her absence through other means.
Great white sharks exhibit complex migratory patterns, often spanning thousands of miles. It’s possible that Mary Lee’s behavior has changed, causing her to venture into areas where her pings cannot be detected reliably.
Chris Fischer, a scientist with Ocearch has another theory.
“Her five-year battery just ran out,” Fischer believes.
Today, Mary Lee lurks in the darkness of the vast Atlantic Ocean.