Great white shark’s GPS monitoring path creates a self-portrait

#ocearch can we talk about how Breton looks like he’s doodling a shark 😂 @OCEARCH pic.twitter.com/zKux7X1GcI

— Chloe Marie (@ChloeMarieReads) May 24, 2022

Global non-profit organization OCEARCH is studying the oceans’ largest inhabitants to help scientists collect previously unattainable data and ultimately restore balance and abundance to our oceans. To gather this information, they use harmless tagging and sampling methods. Unintentionally, it seems that data can create remarkable works of art.

OCEARCH’s 2020 Nova Scotia Expedition focused on increasing the number of tagged great white sharks “to develop the most advanced understanding of great white shark biology, physiology, health, behavior and more yet.” Breton, an adult male great white shark, was one of the first sharks to be tagged on this expedition. Named after Cape Breton of Nova Scotia, it weighed 1,437 pounds and was 13 feet long when first discovered.

After Breton was tagged, he was safely released back into the ocean. By the end of the year he had made it to Florida. Researchers used this geographic information to advance their work, but they weren’t the only ones observing the great white man’s journey. Twitter user Chloe Marie noticed in May 2022 that Breton’s path looked strange. Posting a screenshot of Breton’s travel journal, she asked OCEARCH, “Can we talk about how Breton looks like he’s doodling a shark?”

Breton was quickly nicknamed “Sharkasso” (like Picasso) by Marie, and it’s no wonder why. The connect-the-dots-style path is eerily similar to a shark, complete with a shark fin and curved tail. In September 2022, the random artwork gained traction on Twitter when director Jeff Barnaby shared the image. If it’s hard to see, don’t worry – someone replied with an image to clarify.

Scroll down to see the Sharkcasso’s work. You can also follow Breton’s journey on OCEARCH and learn more about the work of the non-profit organization on their website.

OCEARCH, a non-profit organization that conducts research on the largest sea creatures, uses safe and harmless tagging methods to provide scientists with the information they need.

In 2020, the organization worked with great white sharks in Nova Scotia. Breton was their first tagged shark during the expedition.

Meet Breton, the first great white shark tagged during #ExpeditionNovaScotia 2020. It is named after the wonderful people of Cape Breton. It’s only our first day of fishing for this trip and we already have a shark. What a start! pic.twitter.com/x2kiwIktjR

— OCEARCH (@OCEARCH) September 12, 2020

Once tagged, it was released back into the sea and was in Florida by the end of the year.

Almost two years into his journey, Twitter user Chloe Marie noticed that Breton’s pursuit trail looked odd.

#ocearch can we talk about how Breton looks like he’s doodling a shark 😂 @OCEARCH pic.twitter.com/zKux7X1GcI

— Chloe Marie (@ChloeMarieReads) May 24, 2022

In September 2022, many noticed the accidental splicing of the dot self-portrait created by the aptly nicknamed “Sharkasso.”

A shark equipped with a GPS tracker drew a shark in the Atlantic. pic.twitter.com/qVbpW4AcgN

— Jeff Barnaby (@tripgore) September 17, 2022

And if the shape isn’t clear enough, someone made an image to clarify.

Sounds right! pic.twitter.com/15olgY2m2A

— Finley Knapman (@knappersmate) September 18, 2022

OCEARCH: Website | Instagram | Twitter
h/d: [The Inertia]

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