10-Foot Great White Shark 'Crystal' Surfaces Off Florida Coast

Sarasota, FL - A massive 10-foot great white shark nicknamed "Crystal" made waves as she surfaced off Sarasota's coast, signaling her migration through the Gulf of Mexico.

Tracked by OCEARCH, a nonprofit dedicated to studying ocean predators, Crystal's recent movements offer a fascinating glimpse into the habits of these apex predators.

On the evening of January 3rd, Crystal pinged near the West Florida Escarpment—a staggering 560-mile-long underwater cliff that plunges the seafloor from 300 feet to nearly 10,000 feet deep.

Located 155 to 215 miles off Sarasota's coast, this area marks her latest recorded location.

Prior to this, Crystal was tracked off Pensacola on December 10th.

A "ping" occurs when the satellite tag attached to Crystal's dorsal fin surfaces, sending her location data to researchers.

These pings are critical in understanding the migratory patterns of great white sharks, particularly as colder waters in Canada and New England push them southward in search of warmer climates and abundant food during winter months.

Crystal, a juvenile great white shark measuring 10 feet long and weighing 460 pounds, was tagged by OCEARCH off the North Carolina coast on March 14, 2022.

Since then, she has traveled an astonishing 4,439 miles.

Named after North Carolina’s Crystal Coast, the shark was the sole subject of OCEARCH’s 2022 Expedition Carolinas and the 84th shark tagged in their Western North Atlantic White Shark Study.

While great white sharks can grow up to 20 feet in length, most fall within the range of 11-16 feet as adults.

Crystal is still growing and has already made her mark by journeying into Florida waters multiple times, even reaching the Louisiana coast last winter.

OCEARCH is a nonprofit research organization dedicated to studying ocean giants, including great white sharks, which are critical to maintaining marine ecosystems.

The organization collects groundbreaking data on shark migration, reproduction, diet, genetics, and more.