Deep Blue, largest great white shark ever recorded, back in spotlight
· Yahoo NewsAbout seven years ago, footage began to circulate showing what was said to be the largest great white shark ever documented. Her name was Deep Blue and she spent much of her time at Mexico’s Guadalupe Island.
She measured at least 20 feet and boasted the girth of a pregnant hippo.
What wasn’t clear in the reports, some of which cited a Mexican researcher as the source, was who captured the extraordinary footage.
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On Friday, cinematographer Mike Bolton shared footage that he captured in 2013, showing Deep Blue appearing monstrous and dwarfing an open-top cage, and a diver touching one of Deep Blue's pectoral fins.
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Bolton’s imagery is strikingly similar to what was being circulated in 2019 and early 2020.
Bolton explained that his 2013 clip shows “the first documented video and recorded evidence of her existence.” (See video below.)
The cinematographer added: “Based on our observations and experience, Deep Blue is estimated to be 20 to 21 feet long, weigh approximately 4,500 pounds, and be 50 to 60 years old. She is truly an old lady of the sea — without question, the queen of the female great white sharks.”
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Bolton, who said he hopes Deep Blue is still alive, touches on the danger posed by diving with such large sharks from cages: “As you can see here, if this shark wanted to take you, it would be no problem, no effort at all for her just to reach in, take you out of the top of the cage, or just rip the cage to pieces.”
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Deep Blue, largest great white shark on record, back in spotlight