Three female great white sharks tagged and tracked by OCEARCH were tracked swimming off the coast of Tybee Island last summer, surprising some local residents, but not shark researchers. Even more fun for those who love sharks, the three great whites are something of a Twitter sensation.

The most recent appearance was made by Genie, a 14-foot-long shark weighing 2,300 pounds, and on July 17, Mary Lee, a 16-foot long, 3,400-pound shark pinged in the Savannah area, off the city's popular Tybee Island beaches.

A little over a month ago Lydia swam through. Lydia is 14 feet long and weighs 2,000 pounds.

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The OCEARCH sharks are hugely popular on Twitter. Here's Mary Lee's tweet after she left Savannah's waters:

A ping is defined by OCEARCH as when the shark’s dorsal fin breaks the surface and transmits to a satellite overhead, which lets researchers determine the shark’s location. OCEARCH generates critical scientific data related to tracking (telemetry) and biological studies of keystone marine species such as great white and tiger sharks, in conjunction with conservation outreach and education at a measurable global scale.

In a collaborative environment established by Founding Chairman and Expedition Leader Chris Fischer, OCEARCH shares real-time data through OCEARCH’s Global Shark Tracker.