A massive 1,653-pound great white shark, named Contender, has been tracked off the Jersey Shore, making him one of the largest known males in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The shark, estimated to be around 32 years old and weighing over a ton, was tagged off the coast of Florida and Georgia last January and had previously been spotted near several other locations, including North Carolina, Massachusetts, Canada, and Nova Scotia.
Ocearch, a Florida-based nonprofit organization, has been tracking Contender using a transmitter tag that sends signals to satellites when the shark's dorsal fin breaks the surface. According to Ocearch founder Chris Fischer, each ping from Contender provides valuable insight into the life of a mature male great white shark, shedding light on their movements, feeding habits, and population dynamics.
Contender is not alone in his travels; hundreds of other great whites have been tagged by Ocearch worldwide, with over 400 sharks tracked to date. The organization's data shows that great whites are increasingly common in the Northwest Atlantic, particularly during the summer months when they migrate northwards to feed on nutrient-rich waters.
Interestingly, Contender is part of a growing list of great white sharks spotted off the New Jersey coast over the past decade, including notable individuals like Mary Lee and Ironbound. The data collected by Ocearch has also shed light on unexpected discoveries, such as juvenile shark nurseries off Long Island.
The journey of Contender, one of the largest known males in the western North Atlantic, is a testament to the power of collaboration between science, innovation, and the public. As Contender's tag provides valuable insights into his movements for about five years, Ocearch hopes to fill gaps in knowledge about great white shark habits and contribute to their protection.
According to Ocearch senior data scientist John Tyminski, the team that tags sharks works like a "NASCAR pit crew," quickly gathering samples and attaching tags to minimize disruption. The organization's work aims to make recommendations for protecting great whites, particularly in vulnerable areas where they are most at risk.
As Contender continues his journey through the ocean, Ocearch invites the public to follow his whereabouts on their website, gaining a deeper understanding of these incredible creatures and their importance as "balance keepers" of the marine ecosystem.
Ocearch, a Florida-based nonprofit organization, has been tracking Contender using a transmitter tag that sends signals to satellites when the shark's dorsal fin breaks the surface. According to Ocearch founder Chris Fischer, each ping from Contender provides valuable insight into the life of a mature male great white shark, shedding light on their movements, feeding habits, and population dynamics.
Contender is not alone in his travels; hundreds of other great whites have been tagged by Ocearch worldwide, with over 400 sharks tracked to date. The organization's data shows that great whites are increasingly common in the Northwest Atlantic, particularly during the summer months when they migrate northwards to feed on nutrient-rich waters.
Interestingly, Contender is part of a growing list of great white sharks spotted off the New Jersey coast over the past decade, including notable individuals like Mary Lee and Ironbound. The data collected by Ocearch has also shed light on unexpected discoveries, such as juvenile shark nurseries off Long Island.
The journey of Contender, one of the largest known males in the western North Atlantic, is a testament to the power of collaboration between science, innovation, and the public. As Contender's tag provides valuable insights into his movements for about five years, Ocearch hopes to fill gaps in knowledge about great white shark habits and contribute to their protection.
According to Ocearch senior data scientist John Tyminski, the team that tags sharks works like a "NASCAR pit crew," quickly gathering samples and attaching tags to minimize disruption. The organization's work aims to make recommendations for protecting great whites, particularly in vulnerable areas where they are most at risk.
As Contender continues his journey through the ocean, Ocearch invites the public to follow his whereabouts on their website, gaining a deeper understanding of these incredible creatures and their importance as "balance keepers" of the marine ecosystem.
I think its so cool that Contender is being tracked by Ocearch! Like, who gets to be part of a big experiment 
? Its amazing how scientists can learn so much about these sharks just from one guy's movements and feeding habits 
. And the fact that he's part of this huge network of tagged sharks is like, super useful for them 
. I wish they could track his favorite snacks or something 
. But seriously, its awesome that Ocearch is doing all this work to help us learn more about great whites and how to protect them 
.
. It's like we're getting a glimpse into the secret life of these amazing creatures 
. We're learning so much about their habits and habitats, and it's giving us valuable insights to protect them. It's all about balance in the ocean ecosystem, right? 
It's like something out of a sci-fi movie! I mean, who wouldn't want to see the data visualizations and maps of Contender's travels? 
.
. It's going to be fascinating to watch him swim his way through history 
he's like 32 yrs old & has been tracked by ocearch since january! i think it's so cool they have these transmitter tags that help us learn more about these incredible creatures 
plus hundreds of other great whites have been tagged worldwide 
it's def interesting to see how they're increasingly common in the NW Atlantic during summer months 
I mean, come on, 1,653 pounds? That's like me eating an entire pizza by myself for breakfast 
And it's not just the size that's wild, but Contender's been traveling all over the place. I guess you could say he's got some serious wanderlust 
. The fact that Ocearch has tagged so many sharks and can track their movements is pretty cool, but at the same time, it's also kinda like they're keeping tabs on these massive creatures 
. Still, it's awesome to see people working together to learn more about great whites and how we can protect them. Maybe one day Contender will make his way back to New Jersey and I'll get a chance to see him in person 
.
ocearch is doing some amazing work here, shedding light on the habits of these incredible creatures. and yeah, it's not surprising they're becoming more common in the northwest atlantic - the ocean is a pretty big place, but we need to keep exploring and learning about our oceans 
. It's crazy to think about how much we still don't know about these incredible creatures and their migrations patterns... like, what are they eating all those nutrient-rich waters for? 
. This is like, the ultimate example of science-meets-public-interest, and I am here. for. it! 
. And I love how the scientists are working together with the public to learn more and protect these amazing creatures. It's a real nail-biter watching Contender's journey on their website - you feel invested in his safety and well-being! 
like, imagine being able to see these massive creatures moving through the ocean in real-time 
.
- Ocearch's work is so cool, it's a game-changer for understanding these incredible creatures & their habits. And did you know there are over 400 sharks tracked worldwide? 
.
. Like, what does he have to do with human happiness? Let's just appreciate these amazing creatures from a distance and leave them be 
and he's been tagged by Ocearch so we can finally get some insight into his life 
Which is wild considering they're mostly found in warmer waters... like Florida 
Can't wait to see where he goes next on Ocearch's live tracker! 
. the fact that hundreds of sharks are being tracked now is just mind-blowing 
. can't wait to see what contender does next 
So let's all go check out Ocearch and see where Contender ends up next! 
. and the fact that there are so many tagged sharks now is amazing! 400+ tracked? that's a lot of data