ORLANDO, Fla. — With alligators, snakes, even bears, people in Florida are no strangers to dangerous animals.
But for many, the thought of a run-in with a shark during a trip to our beaches would be the worst.
As it turns out, the number of certain sharks, like great whites, in our Florida waters actually goes way up this time of year.
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For the past week, scientist have been monitoring Sydney, a 12-foot great white shark lurking off the Volusia County coastline.
Trackers show the path Sydney took was almost 2,000 miles to get to Florida.
Watch: Underwater video of the shark exhibit at Discovery Cove
People in Florida have been swimming with sharks their whole lives, with several types of sharks that swim around the state all the time.
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to track great white sharks in real-time <<
Some sharks stay in Florida's waters year-round, but another species, the formidable great white shark, has been moving in.
Ocearch tracks about 20 great white sharks in the northwest Atlantic. Five have already moved into Florida's waters, with another dozen or so approaching for their annual migration.
Great whites winter in Florida every year, much like certain migratory birds.
Even with an increase in number, you're more likely to see less aggressive sharks than a great white.
Nurse shark, a bonnet head may not bite at all or only when provoked, whereas the Atlantic blacktip, may bite and release not knowing you're not food until it's too late.
In Florida, you're 30 times more likely to be struck by lightning that bitten by a shark.
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Cox Media Group
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