Great White Shark Named George Spotted Near North Carolina After Florida Vacation

A fearsome predator was recently spotted off the coast of North Carolina, according to WNCT-9, a CBS affiliate in Greenville. George, a great white shark measuring in at around 10 feet in length, was traced to the Outer Banks, a string of barrier islands stretching 200 miles along Virginia and North Carolina, at the end of March, according to a tracking device operated by OCEARCH.

However, it should be noted that George’s proximity to North Carolina does not inherently pose a threat to anyone or anything. He is merely visiting one of his favorite vacation spots. Initially tagged near Massachusetts in 2016, George has made rounds up and down North America’s east coast in the years since, frequenting North Carolina in particular.

He appeared to be moving north after an excursion to Florida in February.

Fascinatingly, OCEARCH has a website where users can track the movements of every shark the organization has tagged. Each shark is given an amusing name like Errol Finn or Singles You Up, and their movements are available for the public to see.

George has traveled more than 5,000 miles up and down the coast since OCEARCH began tracking him nearly three years ago. He has been all the way up near Nova Scotia and all the way down to near the Gulf of Mexico. He was named after OCEARCH expedition leader Chris Fischer’s father.

George even has his own Twitter account, where whoever runs it posts innocuous musings about sharks.

The great white shark population has declined in the Atlantic Ocean over the years. While they may not be the grave threat they appear to be in the “Jaws” film franchise, they have in fact attacked humans on occasion. According to OCEARCH, George’s mission is to foster “a greater public awareness for sharks and the ocean.”