By Pete Thomas
Researchers are busy studying great white sharks off Cape Cod, but sometimes the sharks conduct their own research.
The accompanying footage shows a fairly large white shark swimming close to a research boat off Chatham to inspect a GoPro camera used to capture footage of the apex predator.
The shark swims to within inches of the pole-camera early in the footage, captured last week along the coast, and bumps the device toward the end.
Scientists with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy have been tagging white sharks at a time when the sharks are preying on gray seals.
The seal population off Cape Cod has been growing, and white shark sightings have subsequently increased during summer months.
Several great white sharks have been sighted in recent days and Greg Skomal of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries has placed tags in three sharks so far this season.
–Image showing Greg Skomal tagging a great white shark off Nauset North Beach is courtesy of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy
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