From colorful coral reefs teeming with life to dolphins that often appear alongside boats traveling offshore, Florida waters support a wide variety of species.
While many of these animals have become familiar sights for residents and visitors, others serve as a reminder that humans are only temporary guests in an environment that has long belonged to marine life.
One of those animals is Larry, a whale shark that has helped researchers gain a better understanding of one of the ocean's largest fish species.
In May 2025, scientists attached a satellite tag to Larry off the coast of Tampa Bay. The tag allows researchers to monitor his movements and collect information about his behavior, providing valuable insight into where whale sharks travel and how they feed.
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Eric Hoffmayer, a fishery research biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA, said whale sharks received their name because of their enormous size. Despite being sharks, they can grow to lengths — up to 50 feet long — that rival some whales, making them one of the largest fish species in the world.
“They got the name whale shark because they were the size of whales, but most of their characteristics match what you would think of a shark, other than the teeth,” Hoffmayer explains. “They have extremely small teeth that aren't really utilized for feeding.”
Unlike many shark species that use rows of teeth to capture prey, whale sharks feed in a much different way. According to Hoffmayer, Larry feeds on fish eggs that are spawned in deeper waters and eventually float toward the surface. As the eggs gather in dense concentrations, whale sharks move through them with their mouths open, filtering food from the water as they swim.
The information collected from Larry is part of a broader effort to better understand whale shark populations in the Gulf of Mexico and the factors that influence where they gather.
Hoffmayer told "Florida Matters Local & Live" that researchers spent years focusing their efforts in the north-central Gulf near Mississippi. However, after experiencing difficulty locating animals in that region, scientists began directing more attention toward the waters off the Tampa Bay area.
“We received a few sightings over the years of groups, but we assumed there was some, some feeding aggregations,” Hoffmayer said. “The day we encountered Larry, I think that our plane saw 19 animals spread out.
While finding Larry and other whale sharks in the area was significant, researchers were even more surprised by what happened after the tag was attached.
According to Hoffmayer, satellite tags often provide between 100 and 150 days of information before they stop transmitting. Larry's tag, however, has far exceeded those expectations.
The tag has continued reporting for 335 days and has generated more than 6,200 data points, giving researchers a much larger sample of information than they typically receive from a single animal.
“These whale sharks like to rub up against boats, structures, the bottom, you know, you can damage the antenna,” Hoffmayer explains. “It is hard to explain why we're seeing such a great response from this tag that's on Larry.”
Because of the length of time the tag has remained active, researchers have been able to follow Larry's movements across a large portion of the region.
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According to NOAA Fisheries, the 26-foot shark has traveled to Cuba and Honduras and is currently located offshore near Homosassa, Florida.
The information gathered from Larry's journey has also helped scientists learn more about how whale sharks use the water column. Researchers found that the animals spend up to 60 percent of their time near the surface.
That behavior may place whale sharks at greater risk in areas with heavy boat traffic and increased human activity. As researchers continue to monitor Larry's movements, the data collected could help improve understanding of the species and the challenges it faces throughout its range.
For now, Larry's tag continues to provide scientists with an unusual amount of information, offering a rare look at the travels and behavior of one of the ocean's most recognizable giants.
This story was compiled from interviews conducted by Matthew Peddie for "Florida Matters Live & Local." You can listen to the full interview with Eric Hoffmayer here.
