Peculiar behavior of 3 large sharks in the Gulf of Mexico is mystifying experts

The social life of shortfin mako sharks is largely a mystery, so marine biologists couldn’t help but ask questions when three males started behaving peculiarly off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast.

For lack of a better way to put it, the satellite tagged sharks are “hanging out” together.

Is it possible sharks have buddies? And do they party together — perhaps viciously eating the neighbors?

“For the second day in a row, three ... tagged shortfin makos have pinged near each other within hours,” the Center for Sportfish Science and Conservation posted Nov. 3 on Facebook.

“We’re not sure exactly what the story is here,” the center wrote, “but it is definitely an interesting pattern.”

Stranger still, the trio have a history of fraternizing, the center noted.

“These three were all captured and tagged on the same tagging trip and now are hanging out with each other again,” the center said.

As of Nov. 8, the three were still pinging together, near the mouth of the Mississippi River.

The social behavior of shortfin makos is “largely unknown,” making any observed habits a point of great interest, the center says.

The trio — named Fast-Ball, Buc-ee and Laureen — were tagged in February and have a track that runs from the coast of Mississippi past the southern tip of Texas.

Fast Ball is 8.2 feet long, Laureen is 7.9 feet long and Buc-ee is 6.8 feet long. Of the three, Buc-ee has traveled the farthest, covering more than 6,000 miles since being tagged, the data shows.

Shortfin makos grow to more than 12 feet and 1,200 pounds and have been clocked traveling up to 45 miles per hour, according to Oceana.org, which says the creatures are also known for their “incredible leaping ability.”

They’ve been known to “jump as high as 20 feet (6 m) out of the water,” according to Sharksider.com.

“Mako sharks are one of the fastest swimming fish in the ocean and are known to make large-scale movements,” the center says.

The center says it is tracking makos are part of a conservation project to learn their “migration patterns and habitat use in the Gulf of Mexico.”

This story was originally published November 8, 2021 at 7:32 AM with the headline "Peculiar behavior of 3 large sharks in the Gulf of Mexico is mystifying experts."