The North Atlantic Ocean is back in the news with the reappearance of "Contender," the largest great white shark recorded in the regionThe animal has been found again in Canadian waters, a key location for its seasonal feeding grounds before the cold months.
The specimen was tagged by OCEARCH in January, off Florida, with a device that emits a signal when its dorsal fin surfaces. The recent activation placed it at one of the highest latitudes monitored for the species in the North Atlantic, confirming that its migratory route continues.
Where and how it was detected
The last signal was recorded from the northern end of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, opposite the Labrador Peninsula, a location that reinforces the breadth of the movements of the great white shark.
"Contender" measures approximately 4,2 meters long and weighs around 750 kilos, with an estimated age of 30 years. At this time he remains in the north to accumulate fat by hunting seals before heading back to warmer Florida waters in winter.
The digital trail has also made it possible to follow intermediate stages: In the middle of the year it was located near the coast of North Carolina, in the area of ​​Pamlico Sound, within the seasonal migration that whites make between Florida and Canada.
This pattern, well documented by researchers, often intensifies between mid-May and the end of June, with a progressive move towards high latitudes to take advantage of the trophic resources of the boreal summer.
Effect on the ecosystem and seals
The presence of the animal so far north highlights the adaptability of the white shark at different thermal ranges, as long as it finds enough food to sustain its high metabolic demand.
Scientific monitoring and conservation
The monitoring project led by OCEARCH pursues, among other objectives, Identify the first known mating site of great white sharks. Knowing routes, migration patterns, and preferred use areas is vital for guiding effective protection measures.
In addition, knowing their movements helps to reduce risky encounters with people already promote one safer coexistence in tourist areas, without neglecting the importance of the white shark in the health of the ocean.
The investigations are part of a context of growing threats: Intensive fishing, habitat degradation, and targeted predation by killer whales (which extract the liver) documented in regions such as South Africa and Australia, factors that make applied science for its conservation more necessary.
Features of the great white
The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) presents a robust body, conical snout and dark eyes, a hydrodynamic design that gives it power and efficiency in pursuit.
Their dentition is made up of around 300 triangular and serrated teeth, arranged in rows that are continually renewed. The bite can be located between 12 and 24 tons of force, enough to tear off up to 14 kilos of meat in a single attack.
Added to this is a extremely sensitive sense of smell, capable of detecting minimal concentrations of blood at great distances, along with endothermy that optimizes its muscles and senses in cold waters.
The new location of "Contender" reinforces its status as a largest white shark recorded in the Atlantic and provides clues about its ecological role, the value of scientific monitoring, and open questions about breeding areas and population connectivity along the western Atlantic.
