Gathering of great white sharks moves to South Carolina. They’re feasting, experts say

That notorious gathering of satellite-tagged great white sharks off the Carolinas has shifted.

Data from the nonprofit OCEARCH shows they’re still enjoying each other’s company, but now their predatory union is off South Carolina — between Myrtle Beach and Charleston.

Seven great white sharks are now “pinging” in that region, while two stragglers remain off North Carolina’s Crystal Coast.

The sharks, all of which are fitted with satellite trackers, range in size from 9 feet to nearly 13 feet, with the biggest weighing 1,420 pounds.

Great white sharks are known for using the East Coast as a type of highway, from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, but such a satellite gathering is uncommon among the tagged predators, experts say.

OCEARCH was the first to bring attention to the “big grouping,” with a Feb. 8 Facebook post that asked why these sharks might be segregated from others on the coast.

Commenters speculated it likely has to do with an abundance of food, and OCEARCH experts believe that is likely the case.

However, no one has speculated on what they’re apparently feasting on.

“Well, it’s not uncommon for them to be down in this region,” OCEARCH founder Chris Fischer told WWAY on Feb. 11. “It’s interesting to see that they’re all up in a small area. They’re usually stretched out between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and Cape Canaveral, Florida.”

The nonprofit is tracking white sharks to discover more about where they mate and give birth off the East Coast.

One of the tagged sharks, Unama’ki, broke new ground this week by traveling farther into the Gulf of Mexico than any other tagged shark before her, OCEARCH said.

Unama’ki traveled 3,120 miles from Nova Scotia to the mouth of the Mississippi River in 103 days. OCEARCH is not sure where the shark is headed or why.

This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 6:53 AM.