Great white sharks detected off Texas coast

Researchers have identified nine great white sharks approximately 100 miles off the Texas coast. While great whites are known to inhabit the Gulf of Mexico, sightings west of the Mississippi River have historically been extremely rare.

Scientists have not documented the species in this specific area during more than 25 years of visual and remotely operated vehicle surveys. The current detections were made by tracking tags previously placed on the sharks rather than through direct diver or camera footage.

According to the study's authors, the presence of these sharks at offshore banks in the northwestern Gulf during the summer may indicate a potentially expanding white shark population in the western North Atlantic Ocean.