Great White Shark’s GPS Tracking Path Unexpectedly Creates a Self-Portrait

The goal of OCEARCH’s Nova Scotia Expedition 2020 was to tag more great white sharks “in order to develop the most advanced understanding yet of white shark biology, physiology, health, behavior, and more.” One of the first sharks tagged in this expedition was Breton, a mature male great white. He weighed 1,437 pounds and was 13 feet long when he was discovered and named after Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton.

After Breton was tagged, he was safely released back into the ocean. By the end of the year, he had made it all the way to Florida. Researchers used this geographical information to further their work, but they weren’t the only ones watching the great white’s journey. Twitter user Chloe Marie had noticed in May 2022 that Breton’s path looked peculiar. She posted a screenshot of Breton’s Travel Log and asked OCEARCH, “Can we talk about how Breton looks like he’s doodling a shark?”

Breton was quickly nicknamed “sharkasso” (like Picasso) by Marie, and it’s no wonder why. The connect-the-dots style path is uncannily similar to a shark, complete with a shark fin and curved tail. In September 2022, the work of accidental art gained traction on Twitter when director Jeff Barnaby shared the image. If it’s hard to spot, don’t worry—someone replied with an image to clarify.

Scroll down to see the sharkcasso’s work. You can also keep up with Breton’s journey on OCEARCH and learn more about the nonprofit’s work on its website.