A lost satellite tag that washed up on a Gold Coast beach has been reunited with scientists after detaching from a great white shark.
The device detached from a four-metre female shark nicknamed Davenport near Rainbow Beach, initiating an unexpected international scavenger hunt.
Scientists routinely collect DNA samples from sharks and then tag them to enable the monitoring of their movements and behaviour.
The tags journeys are tracked using the Great White app. (Nine)
These tags, while providing valuable data, are not without their vulnerabilities.
Shark scientist Riley Elliot explained the detachment of the tag is “a normal process, it’s the least invasive to the sharks but it’s an expensive tag and hopefully you can get them back because you can reuse them”.
The tag’s journey was tracked using the Great White app.
“The tag was floating down past Fraser Island past a bunch of coastline, and you’re just waiting for a current to push it into shore,” Elliot said, describing the anxious wait for the device to make landfall.
The tag eventually washed ashore at Mermaid Beach, prompting a social media appeal for its recovery.
The appeal proved remarkably successful.
“An ex-girlfriend from high school texted me and said, I’m going down the beach for my kid’s nippers and they found it on the beach by the showers, ” Elliot said, illustrating the unexpected role of social connections in the recovery.
“Ironically, my best friend is coming up for my birthday next weekend and they gave it to him, and he’s flying it back.”
Shark scientist Riley Elliot explained the detachment of the tag is “a normal process”. (Nine)
Attention has now turned to another tag, this one detached from a great white shark nicknamed Deep Blue, which is in waters off Bundaberg.
There is hope that this tag will also be recovered.
“I’m hoping because that’s where Davenport’s started, that this one too might end up on a populist beach and someone else might find it,” Elliot said.
The recovery of these tags is crucial for the continuation of the shark tracking program.
This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.
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