The largest great white shark ever recorded in the Atlantic has resurfaced and may be near a popular tourist spot. The 4.3-meter-long Contender was tagged with a tracking device in the North Atlantic by the organization OCEARCH in January 2025, about 45 miles off the coast of Florida and Georgia, near Jacksonville (USA).
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Since then, it has moved up and down the coast, with the tracking device sending a local signal whenever the dorsal fin briefly emerges above the water surface. The shark was hard to detect for several months – it was last seen in April in Pamlico Sound, near North Carolina.
That was until Wednesday, July 8, when it briefly surfaced early in the morning. However, experts said this was a so-called “Z-ping” signal – when the shark spends only a very short time at the surface, so the signal sent to researchers is not strong enough to pinpoint the exact location.
The satellite message was sent to the marine research organization OCEARCH, which tagged this shark. Researchers do not know its exact location, but based on studies and typical habits of these sharks, experts believe it is likely traveling north – towards Cape Cod or Atlantic Canada.
An OCEARCH representative said: “The last confirmed location of Contender was recorded on April 23, when it was off the coast of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Western North Atlantic great white sharks typically migrate north and feed in the waters of Cape Cod or Atlantic Canada during summer and early fall.”
According to the organization, these two regions have suitable water temperatures and abundant food supply – especially plenty of seals and large fish species.
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The impressive size of Contender was measured on January 17, 2025, when it was tagged about 45 miles (72 km) from the Georgia-Florida border.
Since then, it has traveled more than 7,000 miles (about 11,200 km). Scientists say that great white sharks may soon appear off the coasts of Great Britain as well.
Experts believe that with climate change and warming waters near the United Kingdom, it is even “surprising” that such a shark has not yet been spotted there, previously reported by the Daily Star.
Shark expert Dr. Jack Cooper says the appearance of great white sharks in English waters is “inevitable” as the seas warm.
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