A 17ft great white shark weighing 3,500lbs has been caught by researchers off the coast of Nova Scotia, eastern Canada.
The monster shark, which has been dubbed the 'Queen of the Ocean', was captured on Friday 2 October by an Ocearch research team in the northwest Atlantic.
Advert
The expedition was led by Chris Fischer, who said it is the biggest shark Ocearch has ever tagged - measuring 17ft 2ins and weighing in at 3,541lbs.
Fischer said the team could also tell the 'matriarch' shark clearly had a 'rich' life dating back years.
He told McClatchy News: "She is a very old creature, a proper Queen of the Ocean and a matriarch.
"She has all the scars, healed wounds and discolourations that tell a deep, rich story of her life going back years.
Advert
"You feel different when you're standing beside a shark of that size compared to the ones in the 2,000-pound range.
"It's an emotional, humbling experience that can make you feel small.
Advert
"You feel insignificant standing next to such an ancient animal."
The shark was caught off the coast of Nova Scotia, with experts collecting data for 21 researchers through an ultrasound, bacteria samples off her teeth, and fecal samples to provide more information about her diet, and blood, muscle, as well as skin samples taken for medical research.
According to a Facebook post, the team decided the name the beast Nukumi (pronounced 'noo-goo-mee) in honour of the 'legendary wise old grandmother figure of the Native American Mi'kmaq people', whose culture has 'deep roots in Canadian maritime provinces'.
"With the new data we've collected, this matriarch will share her wisdom with us for years to come," Ocearch said.
"She will continue to help balance fish stocks in the surrounding waters, and we look forward to learning more from this wise guardian of our ocean's eco-system."
Advert
Many Facebookers commented to say how impressed they were - not just with the team's research efforts, but also the sheer size of Nukumi.
One wrote: "I'm amazed at all the sharks you have tagged during this expedition! It is especially impressive at the size of some (As a New Englander, don't these sharks know it's getting cold and it is time to go or at least desire, warmer weather!)."
Another said: "Wow, growing up and swimming off the coast of Cape Breton I never could have imagined these great white sharks came up this far. It's amazing to see where they're being tagged and tracked."
Commenting on the shark's size, a third added: "Amazing!!! Longer than my Honda Pilot! Beautiful girl!"
Featured Image Credit: OcearchTopics: Sharks, World News, News, Animals, Canada