CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Sharks are swimming in Texas waters, including two large adult males who have been swimming near the Corpus Christi coastline over the past two months, according to OCEARCH Tracker.
A nearly 8-feet-long hammerhead shark weighing 170 pounds was last pinged swimming off the coast near Port Aransas on July 19, but swam all the way into the Corpus Christi Bay over the past month.
His name is Buddy, originally tagged in Port Aransas back in November of 2015. Since then, he stays swimming along the Corpus Christi Bay and Matagorda Bay, according to OCEARCH.
A larger mako shark measuring over 9 feet long and weighing 330 pounds was last pinged on June 27, also near Mustang Island, but swam right along the coast of Padre Island in April.
This shark's name is BobHayes, originally tagged somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico in early 2021. He has been traveling from the Maragorda Bay and as far south near Brownsville, according to OCEARCH.
As some San Antonians continue venturing to the coast for summer trips, remember that multiple shark sightings have been reported in the Corpus Christi area this summer and, like Buddy and BobHayes, can travel great distances.
OCEARCH, a global nonprofit, conducts research expeditions that include taking samples from sharks, like blood and tissue. After they are tagged, the animals are released back into their waters as researchers continue collecting data while they migrate.
The OCEARCH website says you can track and explore the migrations of sharks that have been tagged using state-of-the-art technology. The website and app also lets you track dolphins, turtles, whales and seals.