Dear _____,

Carrying on our Founding Director Dr. Genie Clark’s research, Mote scientists are working to better understand and characterize the behavior and physiology of sharks.

In late April, scientists in this program were excited to find that a great white shark they outfitted with a satellite tag off Cape Cod in August 2013 had traveled to the Gulf of Mexico and was about 60 miles offshore of Boca Grande. Betsy was tagged by a team led by the conservation group OCEARCH, which included our own scientists from Mote, along with researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.

Interestingly, Betsy’s tag stopped transmitting signals shortly after she was tagged so it was especially thrilling when it began sending signals again in April of this year so close to our Lab. Betsy became the first white shark from the OCEARCH-led expeditions in the Atlantic to be tracked into the Gulf. While Mote scientists have tagged more than 12,000 sharks of various species in the Gulf of Mexico and beyond, this was a great thrill and we are anxiously awaiting the next stop on her journey.

Our research to tag, track and analyze movement of sharks helps us better understand the species and protect them. It is just one example of the important work Mote is doing to make the world a better place. I am pleased to share with you our 2013 Annual Report, available here, which provides a more comprehensive view of our work at Mote. Help us to sustain our exceptional research, education and conservation initiatives that allow us understand, protect and save some of the most treasured resources and species in our planet by investing in our Annual Fund,Waves of Support. A gift of _____ will help us continue to make the world a better place. To donate please visit us here or call 941-388-4441 ext. 415 for assistance.

Thank you for your ongoing and critically important support of Mote. Together we are advancing important objectives and achieving great results.

Sincerely,


Michael P. Crosby, Ph.D., FLS
President & CEO