71°
Anne Bonny and Ormond, two white sharks who collectively weigh over 1,000 pounds, were tracked swimming in the waters off Cape Cod in the week leading up to Independence Day, according to the free tracker created by OCEARCH, a global non-profit organization that researches keystone marine species.
The number of white sharks seen in Cape Cod's waters has increased in recent years, according to the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. The Outer Cape is a particularly popular spot for sharks due to its growing population of grey seals.
OCEARCH captures and tags marine animals, including white sharks. The animals "ping" in when the tag breaks the water's surface, alerting OCEARCH to the animal's location.
Anne Bonny, a 425-pound juvenile white shark, pinged off the coast of Cape Cod on Sunday, July 2 at 7:37 p.m., according to the Ocearch tracker.
The female shark was named after the famed female pirate who frequented the waters around Cape Hatteras in the early 1700s.
On June 25, Anne Bonny pinged in less than one nautical mile from the shore at Jenness Beach, New Hampshire.
Ormond, a 637-pound white shark who measures just shy of 10 feet long, pinged in near Cape Cod on Thursday, June 29 at 5:44 a.m.
While it is rare for a shark to bite a human, people who intend to swim in Cape Cod waters are urged to stay "shark smart" by Cape Cod National Seashore.
The tips provided by Cape Cod National Seashore include suggestions to stay close to shore where rescuers can reach you, stay in groups, avoid areas with seals, and avoid areas with visible schools of fish.
White sharks were designated a prohibited species in Massachusetts state waters in 2005, meaning that the sharks cannot be harvested or retained in the area.
Click here to read more tips from Cape Cod National Seashore.
Click here to view the OCEARCH tracker.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Cambridge and receive free news updates.
