1,200-Pound Tiger Shark Prowls Virginia Coastal Waters

Thinking about heading to the beach for the official first day of summer this weekend?

You might have a little company from Chessie, a 12-foot, 2-inch, 1,200-pound Tiger shark. Chessie is the largest Tiger shark ever tagged off the East Coast. The name Chessie comes from the Chechessee River in Port Royal Sound, SC, according to her friends at Ocearch.

Thursday morning, she was ”pinged” 30 miles off Kiptopeke at 6:43 a.m. Kiptopeke is a state park known for its bird- and hawk-watching areas. The park is about a 4.5-hour drive from Northern Virginia.

Ocearch is researching sharks by following their whereabouts thanks to a device attached to their dorsal fins. When the sharks surface, the device sends a message to a satellite.

Now it appears Chessie has returned to the waters off the coast of Virginia.

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Sharks will be front and center this summer, with “Shark Week” returning to the Discovery Channel in July and movie-goers celebrating the 40th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws.”

Sharks primarily feed on smaller fish but some species prey upon seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals, according to the National Ocean Service. Sharks have been known to attack humans when they are confused or curious, according to the service. If a shark sees a human splashing in the water, it may try to investigate, leading to an accidental attack.

There are have several high-profile shark attacks recently including two in North Carolina this week. Two teens lost limbs from shark attacks Sunday off of a North Carolina beach called Oak Island, in Brunswick County. The town has considered shark fishing ban, according to Yahoo News.

PHOTO of Chessie courtesy of Ocearch