The nonprofit OCEARCH has been busy tagging great white sharks and tracking their movements in near real time, using new technology to advance our understanding of these wondrous sea creatures. That goal is worthy enough to get OCEARCH lots of attention, but what happens when you add the Internet and a touch of personality to the project? Well, you get a viral Twitter account and thousands of followers. You should be one of them if you're not already, following Mary Lee the great white shark, as well as her marine pals Lydia and Katherine.

OCEARCH works with 20 different institutions and it even has its own at-sea laboratory. "Utilizing a custom 75,000 lb.-capacity hydraulic platform designed to safely lift mature sharks for access by a multidisciplined research team, up to 12 studies are conducted in approximately 15 minutes on a live mature shark," the organization says of its M/V OCEARCH vessel. The data collected from these expeditions aids in conservation efforts for great white sharks as well as promoting a better understanding of these apex predators and their role in the ecosystem.

The research -- such as tagging and blood sample collection -- mean only minimal discomfort for the sharks, and there's been no evidence of long-term problems or pain, according to OCEARCH. The research projects include parasite collection in gills and oral cavity, ultrasounds on females, monitoring swimming behavior and learning more about the diet of great whites.

You can follow the exploits of tagged sharks globally using the handy tracking tool online or via the Shark Tracker app available in the iTunes and Google Play stores.