Fortrose Great White shark tag mystery solved – by a determined black Labrador called Quasi
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THE Fortrose Great Shark mystery that created ripples half a world away from its intended audience has been solved – by an inquisitive black Labrador.
Earlier this week we reported how a Google alert flagging news of an Australian Great White tracker tag being found on the beach at Fortrose raised a few eyebrows around the Black Isle, which is more used to the attention garnered by the Moray Firth's bottlenose dolphins.
It turned out – of course – that it wasn't THAT Fortrose but rather its namesake on the southernmost coast of the South Island of New Zealand in a region known as Southland.
When the Google alert flagged news of an Australian Great White tag had landed on the beach at Fortrose landed, it also captured the attention of those who selected the Black Isle town as one of their chosen alerts.
"I have spent the day at your Fortrose also a very long time ago and both the original and our version are just lovely! "
– Nikki Ladd, Shark Experience, NZ
A search for the tag – containing information on shark movements and habits considered to be a treasure trove to marine scientists and researchers – was joined by locals from New Zealand's Fortrose as GPS signals suggested it had been washed up on a remote, rocky beach on the far western edge of the Catlins only accessible at low tide.
Although there's a distance of around 11,613 miles between the two settlements, give or take, New Zealand's Fortrose, described on the website New Zealand History as "a small windswept settlement", is thought to have been named by a Scottish drover who saw similarities with the Black Isle town.
Nikki Ladd, a member of the shore crew of Bluff, New Zealand-based cage diving outfit, Shark Experience, kept us updated on the search, and it's eventual discovery, after being told of our namesake interest.
Nikki, who has, incidentally also visited the Black Isle's Fortrose, said: "Yes, the shark tag has been located! On the low tide in the evening, Quasi the black Labrador took his owner, Kelsi, for a walk, and after investigating a pile of seaweed, the tag flew out!
"That bit of weed had been searched previously but Quasi’s special talent for 'rag-dolling' and shaking weed dislodged it for all to see. The tag was on a very remote beach that can only be accessed at very low tides. The beach is amazing – cliffs, white sand, cathedral rock formations and lots of black mussel shells, so the hunt was difficult. Kelsi and Quasi were two of the many locals in the area who came out to help in the hunt."
She said the tag is part of the New South Wales Fisheries Shark Smart Program, led by Paul Butcher. She said: "Australia and New Zealand share the same wee Great White males, who cross the Tasman each year, and one sub adult male finally lost his tag close to Stewart Island, in the southern waters of New Zealand. The team at Shark Smart engaged us last week about the tag and its adventure in the Foveaux Strait, and it was just a case of waiting for it to land so we could locate it.
"We are super excited to be able to send this tag back to the team at Shark Smart so that they can use that data to understand how Great Whites sharks behave and travel. The team at Shark Experience are committed to spreading the word on the majestic Great White shark and are proud to be able to help with any work that leads to their conservation and protection."
She went on: "I have spent the day at your Fortrose also a very long time ago and both the original and our version are just lovely!
"Our Fortrose as one of the first places used as a safe harbour/port during English settlement in the area and like many places in the South Island, was named by people with memories of their home land. Although once a very busy place, it is now very quiet (café, golf club and camp ground) and surrounded by beautiful rugged coastline and farm land."
