The largest great white shark ever seen in the Atlantic, named Contender, has resurfaced near a popular tourist spot. Measuring 14 feet long and weighing 1,653 pounds, scientists estimate he is about 30 years old.
Tagged by the nonprofit OCEARCH in January, Contender disappeared for almost a month before reappearing on June 7. Recently, he was spotted near the Florida-Georgia coast and the John F. Kennedy Space Centre. Now, he is traveling north toward North Carolina’s Pamlico Sound.
Sharks like Contender migrate to find new food sources. Dr. Harley Newton from OCEARCH explains that this late spring migration leads them to rich feeding areas before long journeys of 1,000 miles or more.
Contender carries a satellite GPS tag that transmits his location in real-time, allowing researchers and the public to track his movements.
Though large, Contender isn’t the biggest great white shark; female sharks can grow larger, with some reaching 15–16 feet, like Deep Blue, a famous 20-foot female weighing over 2,000 kilograms.
