2,000-pound great white shark tracked to Gulf of Mexico

A great white shark that weighs over 2,000 pounds and measures 15 feet, 5 inches long has been swimming along the U.S. East Coast. (OCEARCH)

NAPLES, Fla. -- Scientists say a 15-foot-5-inch (5 metre) great white shark weighing more than 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms) has entered the Gulf of Mexico after a journey down the coast from Canada.

The Naples Daily News reports that OCEARCH tracked the female shark, named Unama'ki, swimming just south of Key West on Saturday. Her tracker was pinging west of the Dry Tortugas islands on Monday.

OCEARCH catches and collects samples from marine life before releasing the animals back into the ocean. The group says a big mature female like Unama'ki could lead them to where she gives birth.

OCEARCH tagged 11 white sharks during its 2019 expedition off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Unama'ki was tagged in the area in September -- more than 2,000 miles (4,828 kilometres) away from Florida waters.