Record year for white shark tagging 2008

Your 401K may have tanked but for the understanding of Great whites and their migratory habits, it's been a great year:

Another tagged New Zealand great white shark has migrated to the Great Barrier Reef off Australia – 1 of nine sharks to be satellite tagged this year.

The 3.5 metre shark, nicknamed ‘Thomas,’ was tagged with a popup archival satellite tag. The tag records information on light levels (from which approximate daily latitude and longitude can be estimated) as well as water depth and temperature so that the shark’s movements can be tracked.

After a predetermined time (six months for this shark) the tag pops off the shark, floats to the surface and transmits the data to a satellite that emails the information back.

‘Thomas’ was tagged by Department of Conservation (DOC) scientist, Clinton Duffy, off Ruapuke Island in Foveaux Strait, in February. The satellite tag popped up at Swain Reefs, off Rockhampton, late in August.

"This is only 100 kilometres from where another tag popped up last year from a shark tagged at Stewart Island after having travelled over 3000 kilometres," says Mr Duffy.

Hard Science: Ano Nuevo

Nicole Teutschel is with the TOPP's team at Ano Nuevo Island just a few short miles down the coast from the Bay Area in Northern California.

The site of an abundant Elephant Seal colony, she and her team have been tagging these simply huge pinnipeds with long range sat tags in the hopes of learning more about these amazing critters.

Oh, and Ano Nuevo is also home to more Great White sharks per square inch than almost any other site on the planet as well.

If you have some time to rip through some cool tracking data today have a look at the latest in Hard Science.

We're pretty sure these 2000lb seals just don't roll over to get sat tags placed on them:

Fast Movers-White Shark Tracking Data-TOPP

If there's one thing we absolutely "Geek Out" on here at UT it's fresh white shark shark tracking data. Without a doubt the TOPP program-Tagging Of Pacific Predators-is the 300lb Research Gorilla when it comes to white shark data with it's tagging and fresh data feeds to legions of hungry shark fans.

Barbara Block is the research brainchild behind TOPPs from Stanford. Keep this website handy and check in with your favorite sharks as they get tracked all over the Pacific and beyond.

Here's three reasons to love TOPP:

1. Cool data links with close to real time tracking
2. It's absolutely free
3. If you dive with sharks this is the latest intel.

This latest tracking study was done with the help of John O'Sullivan, curator of field operations for the Monterey Bay Aquarium.