Marine researchers have got one step closer to answering a major question about the ocean now that Contender has reappeared, after he was first tagged all the way back in January
The biggest male great white shark ever recorded by a leading research organisation has been spotted again – and it could solve a big mystery.
OCEARCH caught and tagged the giant shark, named Contender, back in January. It weighed a massive 1653lbs (118st) and spanned 13ft in length, making it the largest they have ever recorded.
Now, Contender has reappeared on signal trackers in the Atlantic Ocean. What his appearance has shown, however, has helped to provide major clues into why great white sharks migrate.
When the behemoth was first tagged, researchers found him swimming around the coast of America, close to the US states of Florida and Georgia. However, since then, he has been hugging the eastern seaboard and making his way to colder waters near Canada.
By July, the shark had been able make its way into Massachusetts before it went quiet for some time, leaving scientists worried something could have happened to Contender. But in September, the fish was found close the waters of Quebec in Canada, with subsequent tracking showing the shark heading back down south to the US.
Reviewing the data, experts at OCEARCH are now confident that Contender is “one of the furthest northern pinging sharks that we’ve had”. According to their figures, just “a couple” of sharks had managed to make it that far north, in an astounding discovery for scientists.
Chris Fischer, OCEARCH’s founder and expedition leader said: “An animal like that, spending the summer and fall up north – what are they doing? Well, a lot of what they’re doing is preparing for the winter.”
Initial hypotheses point to Contender heading north in order to build up the fat in his system so that he can make it through the winter months with little food. It is believed that he had been munching on the likes of seals in order to fatten himself up for the colder months.
In the latest tracking data, OCEARCH discovered Contender had already managed to clear around New England, and was now several miles off the coast of Atlantic City in New Jersey. Uploading a photo to their Instagram page, the marine research crew said: “Each ping adds another clue to the puzzle of white shark migration – and our team is tracking every move.”
On top of tracking his movements, scientists are now certain they have uncovered the first known mating site for great white sharks in the world. While it has been speculated the sharks mate off the coast of the southeastern US, no official site has been confirmed.
But with Contender heading back south for the winter, experts are curious to see where he goes come spring. Chris added: “I want to know where Contender will be in March of 2026, in April of 2026; I think that could be a massive clue for identifying where they mate.”
