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Great White Shark Dies Soon After Aquarium Release

MONTEREY, Calif. (AP) — A great white shark, released into the Pacific Ocean by the Monterey Bay Aquarium last week, has died.

Aquarium spokesman Ken Peterson said Wednesday the staff was devastated to learn that the shark they'd tended to for about two months had stopped moving. Sharks must keep moving to keep breathing.

Peterson says the 52-pound shark had been tagged with a transmitter and appeared strong when he was released off the Santa Barbara County coast on Oct. 25.

The shark had been found outside Marina del Rey and was taken into temporary captivity as a part of the aquarium's Project White Shark. The $2 million conservation effort has tracked more than 40 great whites since 2002.

(Copyright 2011 The Associated Press)

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