A massive great white shark has been tagged off the Florida-Georgia coast, making history as the biggest male great white ever recorded in the northwest Atlantic.
Researchers from OCEARCH, a non-profit that studies sharks, caught and tagged the giant predator on January 17, about 45 miles offshore.
They’ve since released jaw-dropping footage of the moment this ocean beast, now named "Contender", was safely tagged and set free.
Why Contender Is a Big Deal
Contender measures an unfathomable 13-feet-9-inches in length - which is about as long as a compact car - and weighs an estimated 1,653 pounds.
Great whites are notoriously hard to study, especially the fully grown ones. According to Dr. Harley Newton, OCEARCH’s chief veterinarian, Contender is only the third adult male they’ve ever been able to catch and sample during the species’ winter migration.
"Male white sharks mature at approximately 26 years of age and around 11.5 feet, so certainly we were excited to see an animal of his size at nearly 14 feet," Newton told Live Science.
For reference, most male great whites measure between 11 and 13 feet long, meaning Contender is on the larger end of the spectrum.
Female great whites, on the other hand, can reach a whopping 20 feet, with the biggest ever recorded measuring 19 feet, 9 inches.
Tracking the ‘Ultimate Ocean Warrior’
To keep tabs on Contender, researchers attached a SPOT (Smart Position and Temperature Transmitting) tag to his dorsal fin. This device sends a signal to a satellite every time he surfaces, helping scientists track his movements.
Since being tagged, Contender has already traveled about 290 miles, with his latest location east of Merritt Island, near Orlando, Florida, as of February 10.
OCEARCH describes him as "the ultimate ocean warrior", and honestly, they’re not wrong. This guy is out here roaming the deep, living his best shark life, while also helping scientists learn more about his species -- all while probably having absolutely ZERO threats. (I mean, who would want to mess with him?)
Why It Matters
Great white sharks play a huge role in maintaining ocean ecosystems, but they remain a mystery in many ways — especially adults like Contender, who tend to stick to deep waters far from human activity.
Understanding their migration patterns, habitat choices, and overall health is crucial for conservation efforts, ensuring that these apex predators continue to thrive in the wild.
So, if you're heading to the Florida coast, just know there’s an absolute unit of a shark cruising out there. But don’t worry — he’s got bigger fish to fry.