Home / Environment / Giant Great White Shark Contender Surfaces Near NC
Giant Great White Shark Contender Surfaces Near NC
10 Feb
Summary
- Massive great white shark named Contender tagged and tracked.
- Weighing nearly 1,700 pounds, it's the largest male tagged.
- Shark's SPOT tag provides real-time data for research.
A massive great white shark, identified as Contender, has been detected approximately 45 miles southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina. This colossal male shark, weighing in at nearly 1,700 pounds, represents the largest specimen of its kind ever tagged by OCEARCH in the Western North Atlantic.
Contender's SPOT tag is designed to transmit real-time location data, which will be instrumental in supporting several years of vital research and conservation initiatives for white sharks. The organization named the shark in honor of its partner, Contender Boats, Inc., whose vessels aid in offshore research missions.
Previously tagged off the coast of Florida and Georgia, Contender spent a significant portion of January near Florida's coastline. Its current reappearance near North Carolina follows earlier sightings off the coasts of Canada, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, demonstrating its extensive range within the Atlantic.
