She’s sticking around.
The first tagged white shark of the Cape season — a 10-footer named “Marty” for Stop & Shop’s in-store robot — is in no hurry to leave the region full of seals.
Marty has been pinging repeatedly along the Outer Cape in the weeks after researchers tagged her.
Marty’s acoustic tag has pinged a shark receiver off North Truro 15 times, most recently at 5:32 p.m. on Aug. 2.
“Now that Marty has been tagged and identified, we expect she’ll quickly become a fan favorite as people follow her journey along the coast,” said Cynthia Wigren, CEO of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
“Tracking her is exciting for the public, but for our scientists it’s also incredibly valuable,” Wigren added. “Every time Marty passes one of our acoustic receivers, she provides new data that helps us better understand how white sharks use these waters. We hope she’ll continue helping us advance this research for many years to come.”
Marty’s acoustic tag transmits a unique signal that is detected whenever she swims within range of a receiver positioned along the coast. That data helps researchers study white shark behavior, movement, and population dynamics off Cape Cod.
“We’re excited to officially welcome Shark Marty to Cape Cod and celebrate the important research and conservation work of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy,” said Roger Wheeler, president of Stop & Shop.
“We hope Marty sparks curiosity and inspires people across the region to learn more about these remarkable animals,” Wheeler added. “Whether tracking her latest ping or bringing home a Shark Marty plush, there are now plenty of ways to stay connected to her story for years to come.”
AWSC and Stop & Shop launched the search for Marty in June alongside the debut of a limited-edition Shark Marty plush toy at participating Stop & Shop stores in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Twenty percent of proceeds from each plush sold support AWSC’s research, education, and conservation programs, contributing to Stop & Shop’s broader $10,000 commitment to the organization.
Every detection of Marty is documented on AWSC’s Sharktivity app. The public can follow Marty along with dozens of other tagged white sharks in the waters off Cape Cod.
AWSC encourages beachgoers to download the Sharktivity app for real-time shark sightings, detections, and alerts, and to review shark safety guidelines before entering the water.
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