This 1,600-pound ocean giant just went somewhere no other OCEARCH-tagged shark has ever been
This milestone will further help researchers understand the environmental factors influencing these apex predators' travel patterns.
FILE: Top 'Contender': nonprofit OCEARCH tags largest great white shark on record in Atlantic
Contender, a 14-foot, 1,600 pound adult male great white shark was tagged by OCEARCH in January near the Florida/Georgia line. The nonproft works to research ocean life by tracking their locations throughout their lives.
THE TAKEAWAY
- Contender, OCEARCH’s largest tagged male white shark, has ventured into uncharted waters off Newfoundland.
- His route raises questions about the northern range of white sharks.
- The milestone could help researchers better understand what drives white shark movements.
Contender, the largest male white shark ever tagged by OCEARCH in the Atlantic, is making history for the organization.
He has officially ventured into northern waters farther than any other shark in their database has ever reached.
Contender, the 14-foot, 1600 pound great white shark on the day he was tagged by OCEARCH in January 2025. (OCEARCH / FOX Weather)
At over 1,600 pounds and 14-feet long when tagged, this ocean giant recently passed through the Straight of Belle before turning south into the Newfouland Sea, OCEARCH said.
ATLANTIC'S LARGEST-RECORDED ADULT WHITE SHARK 'CONTENDER' MOVES INTO COOL ATLANTIC WATERS OFF CANADA
The unusual route is raising questions about what is drawing white sharks so far north and how extensive their range may be in the western North Atlantic.
Contender's recent tracking. (OCEARCH)
"Contender is taking us somewhere we haven’t seen another OCEARCH-tagged white shark go before," OCEARCH said in a Facebook post.
The organization has previously documented white sharks traveling between the waters off Atlantic Canada and the southern United States, with long-term tracking efforts helping scientists better understand the species' migration, behavior and health.
WHY IS IT CALLED A GREAT WHITE SHARK IF IT'S NOT ACTUALLY WHITE?
Contender the great white shark being tagged in the Atlantic Ocean. (OCEARCH / FOX Weather)
"88% of white sharks tagged in the U.S. Southeast have journeyed to Atlantic Canada," according to a 2025 OCEARCH press release.
With Contender now reaching uncharted waters, this milestone will further help researchers understand the environmental factors influencing these apex predators' travel patterns.
Contender and other sharks and sea animals like him can be tracked in real-time using the free OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker app.