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1,000-Pound Shark Spotted Super Close to Alabama Shoreline

On January 24, a 12-foot, 1,000-pound female great white called Ernst surfaced near Gulf Shores, Alabama, with her tracker pinging close to the Chandeleur Islands, marking a westernmost Gulf record.
After tagging by OCEARCH in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, Ernst embarked on a migration that reached the Gulf, with her westward move into Alabama waters marking the outer limits of typical Gulf range.
Fischer described Ernst's westward reach as unusual, saying `She cut right over to lower Maine from Nova Scotia, migrated right down the coast, and has moved around Miami and the Keys and all the way beyond the Florida Panhandle`, and noted it's 'kind of unusual' to see her so close to Dolphin Island, Alabama.
Researchers say Ernst's presence near Alabama waters is significant for conservation efforts and marine management, highlighting her unusual Gulf region range, Fischer said.
The convergence zone of Alabama, Louisiana and Florida creates a vibrant marine environment, and Fischer said `She has really moved into one of the farther parts of what we see them as moving west`, indicating healthy habitat quality.

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