It might not be the largest great white shark in the entire ocean, but it still holds an impressive record
The largest great white shark ever tracked in the Atlantic Ocean has appeared again—and this time, he's been spotted cruising through a popular tourist destination.
I can almost hear the Jaws theme in the background. Meet Contender, a massive great white shark measuring an incredible 14 feet in length and tipping the scales at 1,653 pounds. Experts believe he's around 30 years old, which is pretty mature for a shark of his kind.
He was first tagged by OCEARCH back in January. This non-profit group specializes in researching big marine animals. Their mission is to support marine conservation and help safeguard vital ocean habitats by collecting detailed data on these creatures.
However, Contender disappeared off the radar not long after. For nearly a month, his location remained a mystery, leaving scientists with no idea where he had gone.
But then on June 7, he popped up again, and he's been quite the traveler ever since, covering some serious ground in just a few weeks.
Where is Contender now?
Back in January, researchers tracked Contender swimming along the stretch of coast between Florida and Georgia, roughly 45 miles away from Jacksonville.
He was later picked up by tracking systems near the John F. Kennedy Space Centre. Honestly, who knows what kind of adventure he was on there?
But he didn’t stay down south. He made a major turn and headed north instead, eventually arriving in Pamlico Sound, which is off the coast of North Carolina.

As for what caused this shift in direction, scientists believe it's most likely related to food. That’s usually the number one reason sharks travel such long distances through the ocean.
Dr. Harley Newton, a lead scientist and veterinarian with OCEARCH who’s based in Florida, offered more insight: "This time of year white sharks are starting their late spring/early summer migration (16 May to 30 June) moving from their southern overwintering area to their summer/fall foraging areas in the northeastern US and Atlantic Canada."
"We often see the sharks on our global shark tracker spend a period of time off the Outer Banks right before they move north, which is what white shark Contender appears to be doing."
"This may be due to rich food resources in the region and would serve as a time to feed and prepare before what may be a journey of 1,000 miles or more."
How is the data collected from Contender?
The research team gathers biological samples and installs a SPOT satellite tag onto the shark’s dorsal fin. This tag sends out GPS signals in real time whenever the shark comes up to the surface.
Thanks to that tracker, both scientists and the public can follow his journey live using OCEARCH’s global shark tracking system. And judging by some of the paths these sharks take, they’ve got quite the sense of direction—or maybe a wild sense of adventure.
How big is the biggest great white shark?
Although Contender is absolutely huge, he doesn’t take the crown as the biggest shark ever. That title usually goes to the females, who tend to grow even larger than the males.
Female white sharks can reach around 15 to 16 feet in length on average, while males are usually a bit smaller, topping out between 11 and 13 feet once fully grown, according to data from Ocean.
And then there’s Deep Blue—the legend herself. She’s thought to be about 20 feet long and could weigh close to 2,000 kilograms, making her a true giant of the sea.