Rare Sighting of Great White Shark off Alabama Coast

A great white shark has been recorded off the Alabama coast for the first time.

The female, nicknamed Miss Pawla, was documented by researchers at the University of South Alabama in footage captured with underwater cameras used to monitor an artificial reef.

With scars beside its left eye the giant predator stares into the camera, before moving away, revealing more marks on its side.

Great white sharks are one of the "big three" species responsible for attacks on humans, next to the bull shark and tiger shark. However sightings like this do not mean there is any risk to humans. Shark attacks remain extremely rare, and it is not often that these sharks come into contact with humans.

Alabama has only seen 10 unprovoked shark attacks since records began in 1837, according to the International Shark Attack File. The state with the most attacks is Florida, with 928 confirmed unprovoked attacks.

Measuring around 8 feet long, the juvenile, had been swimming in water 150 feet deep. She was still lurking near the reef ten days later, researchers said, but disappeared about a week ago.

Although great white sharks are becoming common in other areas of the U.S., such as New England and California, it is extremely rare to spot them off Alabama, Sean Powers, the director of the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences said in a statement.

"We have surveyed over 1,000 artificial and natural reef areas over the last 10 years, providing scientific data to assist the State of Alabama in managing its offshore fisheries," Powers continued. "This is our first documented sighting of a white shark."

Scientists estimated that Miss Pawla was around 15 years old, due to her size. Even though she is in her teens, she is still considered a juvenile as great whites can live for over 50 years and grow as long as 20ft. According to the university, Miss Pawla will not become fully mature until she is around 30.

The documented sighting remains extremely rare, however scientists are wondering if the animals are becoming more common in the northern Gulf of Mexico. This is because divers have reported several sightings, the university said. One was recently caught by a fisherman, while another washed up in the Florida Panhandle. The species are federally protected, meaning they must be released if accidentally caught.

The great white shark is infamous for a vicious nature however many believe that portrayals in media and films such as Jaws paint them in an overly negative light

They are an elusive species, and rarely seen in the wild. Scientists still have many questions around the species. This is why ocean research organizations like OCEARCH tags and tracks the species, in order to learn more about their movements, and where they end up.

Miss Pawla is a new shark to researchers, meaning she has never been tagged or recorded.

Atlantic great white sharks usually migrate north to Canada for the summer months, before heading back along the East Coast for the cooler, winter months. However as a solitary species, they do not always stick to this. Sightings like this one in Alabama can give scientists more insight into the species migration patterns.

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