600-Pound, 11-Foot Tiger Shark Hanging Out in Virginia Waters

A 608-pound, 11.4-foot tiger shark named Crystal is hanging out in the waters off the Virginia coast Friday, according to OCEARCH, a group that tracks and studies sharks.

The shark, named Crystal for Crystal Pier at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina, where she was fitted with a radio transponder last month, was located in the area or "pinged" Friday morning at 7:08 a.m. The shark pings when its dorsal fin breaks the water and transmits a signal to a satellite overhead. The transmission sends back an estimated geolocation, according to OCEARCH.

Since being tagged June 20, Crystal has made her way northward and is now just east of Kiptopeke Beach in the Cape Charles, Virginia area, north of Virginia Beach. She was located off of Virginia Beach when she surfaced and pinged at 6:52 p.m. Thursday night. If she stays on course, she could be moving to waters off of Hog Island, Virginia.

According to National Geographic, tiger sharks or Galeocerdo cuvier "are consummate scavengers, with excellent senses of sight and smell and a nearly limitless menu of diet items. They have sharp, highly serrated teeth and powerful jaws that allow them to crack the shells of sea turtles and clams. The stomach contents of captured tiger sharks have included stingrays, sea snakes, seals, birds, squids, and even license plates and old tires."

Tiger sharks can grow up to 20 feet in length but average 12 feet. Their name stems from the typical stripes found on their backs.

PHOTOS of Crystal courtesy of OCEARCH; map shows Crystal's journey.