Candida Kutz's Blob, er, Blog

Lucy the Great White Shark Swims Free!

I kept telling my SF friends to come visit me SOON and see Lucy, the great white shark held in captivity at Monterey Bay Aquarium for a record time (more than 6 months). Recently, she had killed 2 soupfin sharks,and even with my amateur eye for animal behavior, she appeared to move in an agitated and aggressive manner in the Outer Bay enclosure the last time I saw her. Sure enough, she was released early this morning "just outside Monterey Bay."  This is great news for her, but I have to admit to feeling a bit of sadness at the prospect of not ever again having the privilege of seeing this magnificent animal in a safe setting (barring going on a Great White Shark Adventure, which I have some ambivalent feelings about). You can bet I NEVER want  to see her when I'm diving.

She's got a tracking device on her; it will be very interesting to see whether she decides to return to aquarium area waters, which are extremly popular for local divers.

More information can be found here: MBA White Shark News

Lucy, the White Shark at Monterey Bay Aquarium, Kills 2

In case you haven't heard, Monterey Bay Aquarium has a captive white shark (they have dropped the adjective "great"), and if you haven't seen her yet, I suggest you do so ASAP. (She has been in captivity nearly six months now, far outlasting the previous record of 16 days in captivity for Carcharodon carcharias.) Fortunately for her, her days in what amounts to a "bucket" seem numbered.

You see, Lucy, as reliable inside sources say she is named, has killed 2of her tankmates, soupfin sharks both. The deaths are attributed to reflexive action when she bumped into them, and not "predatory rage." Interesting, because the last time I saw her, about a month ago, she was slapped be a green turtle when she apparently got too close. Everyone watching gasped as she rapidly turned and swam in the opposite direction. I guess green turtles are lot more bad-aaas than soupfin sharks.

Facts about the Monterey Bay Aquarium white shark can be viewed here, as well as a cool video of divers swimming with her in the tank. The updates secion of this page reports that two other soupfin sharks have been transferred out of the million gallon Outer Bay exhibit, where she resides.

See newstory about latest reflexive action here.

Wanna be a Research Diver and Help Restore Tsunami-Damaged Reefs?

Reef Ball, an international environmental NGO based in Woodstock, GA, is looking for volunteer divers to help with their month-of-April efforts in Thailand. See details here, on my site BluePlanetDivers.