In recent events, great white sharks have been spotted off the coast of Alabama, with a female specimen named Miss Pawla being encountered twice in the past month. Measuring around eight feet in length, Miss Pawla, who is approximately fifteen years old, was first observed via underwater cameras during a joint survey with researchers from Mississippi State University and Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Institute in mid-April. She was again seen ten days later, but by May 3, she had disappeared from the area. This is believed to be a rare occurrence, as Dr. Sean Powers, director of the University of South Alabama’s Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, noted that white sharks generally prefer the cooler waters off New England and California. However, he also mentioned that they have occasionally been spotted in deeper regions of the Gulf of Mexico. Interestingly, this is the first time such a sighting has been documented in the specific area where Miss Pawla was spotted, which is approximately 150 feet deep.
Miss Pawla has attracted attention due to her distinctive scarring patterns, which are typical of white sharks and facilitate identification. The University of South Alabama has confirmed that this is the first time the species has been recorded in these waters. White sharks are federally protected, and if caught, they must be returned to the sea alive. Researchers at the university are currently following a 12-foot tiger shark called SouthJaw, who shares his name with a USA mascot.
The increased sightings of white sharks along the Alabama coastline have led experts to speculate that the species could be more prevalent in the region than previously assumed. Other instances of white shark sightings in the region include a deceased animal washing ashore on a Florida Panhandle beach, as well as a capture by local fishermen. The University of South Alabama has emphasized the importance of preserving sharks in marine ecosystems, highlighting their crucial role in the environment.
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