Great white shark makes history after being spotted near South Padre Island

Experts have identified a great white shark 200 yards off the shore of South Padre Island. Here's what we know:

Meet LeeBeth

Don't let her sweet name fool you! LeeBeth is a 14.1-foot, 2,600-pound female great white shark. On Dec. 8, a satellite tag was placed on her by Capt. Chip Michalove of Outcast Sport Fishing near Hilton Head off the coast of South Carolina, according to Higher Calling Wildlife.

Update: A great white shark is making history in the Gulf of Mexico. Where is LeeBeth now?

Sharktivity: Shark activity tracker

Michalove tagged LeeBeth for his research with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. The conservancy's mission is to "support scientific research, improve public safety, and educate the community to inspire white shark conservation." Though the nonprofit generally focuses on the northwest Atlantic near Cape Cod, it follows the wanderings of white sharks.

"White sharks are apex predators that play a critical role in maintaining a healthy and balanced marine ecosystem," the conservancy's site explains. "They are also considered a keystone species, meaning they are integral to the ecology they inhabit."

The conservancy has created an Atlantic white shark sighting and resource app called "Sharktivity." Using input from various research groups along the East Coast, Sharktivity gathers shark activity data from researchers, safety officials and members of the public. To ensure accuracy, the app requires uploading photos as confirmation.

Making history in the Gulf of Mexico

Although LeeBeth isn't the first of the conservancy's tagged sharks to explore the Gulf of Mexico, she caught researchers' attention when she headed straight toward the southern tip of Texas.

The conservancy reports this is the farthest west a white shark has ever been spotted in the Gulf of Mexico, making shark science history.

“Most stopped around the Mississippi River, but LeeBeth kept going. She’s traveled 2,000 miles since we caught her off Hilton Head,” Michalove said.

LeeBeth has also made her presence known by making regular appearances on the water's surface — more often than most sharks.

“The tags only signal back to the satellite when the shark swims near the surface and the fin breaches the water. She’s been pinging a lot, which has given us a great look into her movements,” Michalove said.

Great white sharks have been observed in Texas waters since the 1950s, as recorded in the 1963 book "Shadows In the Sea: Sharks, Skates & Rays."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Great white shark LeeBeth pings near South Padre Island, data shows