A great white shark has become a major attraction and a major novelty along the coasts. Measuring 4.2 meters in length and weighing an estimated 750 kilograms, this adult shark is the largest male ever studied in the region. Contender, an adult male, has been roaming the East Coast this year, with his latest sighting occurring off the coast of Quebec, Canada. Since January, the global non-profit organization Ocearch has been tracking him, collecting data to help scientists understand the ocean, and they have finally managed to spot him.
The largest male great white shark in the Atlantic, named Contender, was spotted a few days ago at night in waters near Atlantic City
The great white shark weighs an astonishing 750 kilograms, as explained above, and measures 4 meters in length. The largest male great white shark in the Atlantic, named Contender, was spotted a few days ago at night in waters near Atlantic City, New Jersey, after a journey of more than 6,900 kilometers from the southeastern United States to Canada and back. Now, the enormous shark is near New Jersey, beginning its journey south along the coast.
The OCEARCH team tagged Contender on January 17, 2025, about 72 kilometers off the coast of the Florida-Georgia border. Measuring 4.2 meters in length and weighing an estimated 750 kilograms, this adult shark is the largest male ever studied in the region. “Each ping from Contender gives us a window into the life of an adult male great white shark: how he moves, feeds, and contributes to population recovery,” said Chris Fischer, founder and expedition leader of the organization, according to CBS News. The shark was sighted in the Outer Banks area of North Carolina from April through mid-June.
To track Contender’s movements, its tracking device must send a signal, or ping
“Each signal adds a new piece to the puzzle of great white shark migration in the western North Atlantic, and our team is tracking its every move,” OCEARCH stated. To track Contender’s movements, its tracking device must send a signal, or “ping.” Scientists hope that tracking Contender will help them determine where great white sharks mate. A ping is recorded when its dorsal fin emerges from the water, and an Argos satellite registers it. Contender is expected to return to Florida in search of warmer waters and greater food availability.
“These large adult males are extremely important because they can help us understand where and when mating occurs”
Specifically, satellite tracking provides information on the migratory routes and habits of large ocean predators, data that is published as part of an open-access database for the global scientific community. For example, it is known that in July, the shark continued its journey north and its signal was subsequently detected off the coast of Massachusetts. “These large adult males are extremely important because they can help us understand where and when mating occurs,” Fischer stated. After being tagged, Contender moved north, skirting the U.S. Atlantic coast, and by the end of September, it was located near the waters of Newfoundland, Canada. As autumn arrived, it changed course.
This year saw numerous sightings and precautionary beach closures in Maine and eastern Canada due to the presence of great white sharks, according to previous CBS News reports. Unlike females, whose complex migratory cycles last two years, “male great white sharks practically dedicate their entire year to mating.” Researchers say this makes Contender “one of the northernmost sharks we’ve ever recorded.” And it’s worth noting that the monitoring isn’t limited to Contender. The organization also detailed, via its Instagram account, that “Ernst,” a 12-foot, 1,000-pound female great white shark, was recently located in the Florida Keys after last being tracked near the Florida-Georgia border.