Good-Bye

I forgot to post this earlier but the Monterey Bay Aquarium released their white shark last week after 137 days in captivity, the second longest period of time a white shark has been kept in captivity. The record 198 days was the female previously put on display by the aquarium.

The young great white shark that had enthralled visitors to Monterey Bay Aquarium since September returned to the wild early Tuesday.

The fish swam away from the research vessel Sheila B shortly after sunrise, its dorsal fin slicing the water of Monterey Bay as the fearsome predator circled the boat several times before vanishing beneath the rolling waves.

"It's bittersweet," said aquarium curator Christina Slager, one of the people aboard the Sheila B. "We all really enjoyed observing the animal and working with it, but it was also good to see it return to the wild."

The aquarium is already making plans to keep another shark in captivity and hopes to capture one late next spring, officials said.

The animal released Tuesday grew 9 inches and gained 68 pounds in captivity, and although its nose was scuffed -- an injury occasionally seen among captive sharks when they bump tank walls -- aquarium officials are confident the fish is none the worse for wear after 137 days in captivity. They expect the shark, like the aquarium's previous great white, to thrive. An electronic tag will track the fish for 90 days.

Photo credit: Ryan Garrett