At 14ft long, the mammoth shark was tagged off the coast of Jacksonville, some 45 miles from the Florida-Georgia border, by OCEARCH in January. This non-profit organisation specialises in gathering data on ocean giants.
Having slipped under the radar for almost a month—since the tracking device only pings a location when the dorsal fin breaks the water’s surface—Contender pinged again last week (June 7), this time northwards, near Pamlico Sound in North Carolina.
Recently, Contender seems to have swiftly migrated northward.
Measuring about 1,653lbs and presumed to be approximately 30 years old, this formidable predator is currently engaged in what experts believe to be a critical feeding phase, fuelling up for a potential trek that could exceed 1,000 miles.
Dr Harley Newton, OCEARCH’s leading scientist and veterinary expert from Ponte Vedra, Florida, shed light on these colossal sharks’ migratory behaviour.
She explained: “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.”
The tagging involved carefully capturing Contender alongside the research vessel, collecting biological samples, and attaching a SPOT satellite tag to his dorsal fin.
This tag sends out real-time GPS positions every time he surfaces, allowing both scientists and the public to follow his live movements using OCEARCH’s global shark tracker.
Dr Newton said: “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.”
The migration patterns of the great white shark like Contender are under close observation for enhancing scientific knowledge and supporting shark conservation efforts. Great whites are crucial for maintaining balance in oceanic ecosystems by controlling the population of prey species, yet they’re at risk due to overfishing, loss of habitat, and the impacts of climate change.
The collected data from Contender and other tagged sharks is pivotal in advocating for conservation practices and securing important marine areas.