Massive Tagged Great White Shark Detected Near North Carolina's Outer Banks
A 1,700-pound male great white shark, the largest ever tagged in the western North Atlantic, was recorded passing near the Outer Banks, offering researchers new data on its movements.
Scientists from the ocean-tracking organization OCEARCH reported that a satellite tag on a 14-foot male great white shark, nicknamed “Contender,” transmitted a signal off North Carolina’s Outer Banks on Thursday. The tag, which was first attached to the shark in January 2024 off Florida and Georgia, has logged more than 7,000 miles of travel between the southeastern United States and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
"Contender is probably moving north on his usual summer route," said OCEARCH founder Chris Fischer, noting that mature male white sharks in the Atlantic typically head toward cooler, prey-rich waters off Cape Cod and Atlantic Canada.
The shark, estimated to be about 30 years old, is the largest male great white ever tagged in the western North Atlantic. Its tag is programmed to transmit real-time location data for up to five years, providing researchers with detailed information on the shark’s movements, feeding habits and its role in the species’ recovery.
The brief satellite ping did not allow scientists to pinpoint the exact location of the shark at the time of detection, but the data adds to a growing body of knowledge about the migration patterns of mature white sharks in the region.