2025-01-17: I was thrilled to learn that researchers successfully tagged a colossal great white shark, roughly 45 miles from the Florida-Georgia boundary. This majestic creature, now known as Contender, could be the biggest male great white in the entire North Atlantic! It’s definitely the largest one we have visual records of at this moment. What an incredible discovery!
The contender is a colossal predator, taller than most of his counterparts, yet appears tiny when compared to the terrifying sharks portrayed in movies. For instance, the fictional shark from Steven Spielberg’s iconic film, Jaws, which is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, was roughly twice as large according to Quint’s (Robert Shaw) estimation.
One memorable scene in the movie stands out: Chief Brody (played by Roy Scheider), tosses fish bait into the water; Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) seems to be navigating the boat, but he’s actually playing cards; Quint makes his descent from the lookout post. Simultaneously, the shark appears, causing Brody to gasp for air and sparking the famous quote, “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.
The shark moves towards the vessel, drawing nearer to the spectators, with its back fin slicing through the water as it goes. “That’s about twenty feet,” Hooper remarks. “No, more like twenty-five,” Quint counters, “That’s roughly three tons.” However, there are indications that Quint might have been off the mark in his estimation. A white shark of 25 feet is likely on the larger end of the average size range, and even if such a specimen existed, it would most likely be a female.
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How big is Contender and how does he measure up to other great white sharks?
The world’s largest confirmed white shark, named Deep Blue, is a female that roams the Pacific Ocean. Her length is estimated to be at least 20 feet, although some females can reach this size. While it’s unusual, reaching around 20 feet isn’t impossible. In comparison, male white sharks are significantly smaller, typically growing up to 12 feet when fully grown.
Standing at approximately 15 feet and 9 inches, Contender boasts nearly two additional feet compared to the average male white shark in the North Atlantic, earning him the title of one of the largest known males in this region. He’s a significant addition to the comprehensive dataset being accumulated by OCEARCH, a non-profit research organization. So far, across 48 expeditions (and still counting), over 200 scientists have tagged, monitored, and studied more than 400 animals, including Contender.
The OCEARCH ship functions as an expansive, at-sea research facility, equipped with a hydraulic system that can momentarily hoist big ocean creatures out from their watery environment. What makes it even more exceptional is its commitment to disseminating data gathered onboard not only among researchers but also to the general public.
What has Contender been up to since he was tagged?
During his apprehension, Contender was equipped with a tracking device that connects to satellites, enabling scientists to monitor him closely for the following five years. This will help them understand his movements and daily activities. As I write this, it has been 143 days since the tagging event, and in those days, Contender has traversed approximately 1,870 miles at an average of around 13 miles per day across open waters. His last signal was received on June 7, near the coast of North Carolina.
As the warm weather approaches, I find myself excitedly preparing for my annual journey, just like white sharks do! They’re leaving their wintering spots in the south and making their way towards their feeding grounds off the northeastern U.S. and Atlantic Canada from around mid-May to end of June. This fascinating information was shared by Dr. Harley Newton, OCEARCH’s Chief Scientist and Veterinarian, in a recent conversation with SYFY WIRE.
Following tagging, the Contender headed straight towards deeper seas, moving perpendicularly from the shoreline. Later, it journeyed southward, eventually positioning itself off the coast of Orlando before traversing northeast over the underwater Blake Plateau. By April, it had reached North Carolina’s coast and started meandering back and forth between north and south. As of June 7, it was found loitering off North Carolina’s Pamlico Sound.
Newton noted that sharks on our worldwide tracker frequently linger near the Outer Banks prior to migrating north, similar to what white shark Contender seems to be doing currently. This behavior might be due to an abundance of food in the area, providing a chance for feeding and readying themselves for a potential voyage exceeding 1000 miles.
You can monitor Contender and various other marine creatures through the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker, accessible via both web and mobile applications.
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2025-06-13 21:02