Daisy the Shark tracker signal picked up in Gate Pa, Tauranga

Daisy the great white shark.

Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air (in bold at start of text

There’s no sign of celebrity shark Daisy, but the hunt for her missing satellite tracker is narrowing.

Researchers lost Daisy, the great white shark, after the hi-tech marker fell off in waters off the Bay of Plenty.

Shark scientist Dr Riley Elliott had been tracking Daisy and said signals from the 2.75m female shark’s tag were originally picked up near Matakana Island three days ago.

“It looks like that’s where the shark and device parted ways,” he said.

The satellite tag then washed ashore at Pāpāmoa Beach on Monday, and Elliot offered a $100 reward for its return.

It is now in Gate Pa, and not moving.

Elliot says someone probably picked it up, not knowing what it was.

“It’s in their house or workplace because I’m not getting any more detections from it, which can happen if it’s inside a big metal building.”

Elliot is hoping the Gate Pa community will be able to help out and find the device.

Daisy was the first shark tagged in Elliott’s research project hosted by the Sustainable Ocean Society and backed by public support.