Where did the great white shark Ernst travel from?

Ernst was tagged in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada, and traveled thousands of miles down the U.S. East Coast before reaching the Gulf of Mexico.

What is unusual about Ernst's recent location?

Ernst's presence near the coasts of Alabama and Mississippi is considered unusual and one of the westernmost points recorded for a great white shark in the Gulf.

Who is tracking the great white shark Ernst?

Ernst is being tracked by OCEARCH, a U.S.-based marine research group that uses satellite tracking data from her dorsal fin tag.

Home / Science / Great White Shark Travels Thousands of Miles

Great White Shark Travels Thousands of Miles

2 Feb

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Summary

A 12-foot great white shark named Ernst traveled from Canada to the Gulf.
Ernst's journey included coastlines of multiple US states.
Researchers are tracking Ernst's unusual westward movement.

Great White Shark Travels Thousands of Miles

A massive great white shark, identified as Ernst, has recently been tracked in the Gulf of Mexico, marking an unusual westward movement for the species. This 12-foot, approximately 1,000-pound female shark was tagged by OCEARCH in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, in October 2025.

Ernst's epic journey began after tagging, leading her thousands of miles along the U.S. East Coast, passing areas near Miami and the Florida Panhandle. Her recent pings off the coasts of Alabama and Mississippi, and near the Chandeleur Islands, are considered rare and fall outside typical great white shark migratory patterns.

Researchers noted that Ernst's proximity to shore in these areas suggests a healthy marine ecosystem with abundant life. As of Sunday, February 1, 2026, her tag pinged south of Horn Island off the Mississippi coast, continuing to provide valuable data on great white shark behavior and migration.