“Contender”, the world’s largest great white shark, is being tracked by scientists at OCEARCH, and the predator can now be followed on their fascinating Global Shark Tracker app
Users across the globe can follow the movements of the world’s largest 14-ft great white shark – which has already covered an epic 1,870 miles.
Scientists at OCEARCH, a non-profit organisation that researches large marine animals, have been tracking “Contender”, the 30-year-old adult male shark, since January.
The predator was first tagged in the North Atlantic, 45 miles off the Florida-Georgia coast, off Jacksonville. The beast is a staggering 13ft and 9 inches long and estimated to weigh a whopping 1653 lbs.
It took six people, including three fishermen and scientists, to tag and release “Contender”, which is then electronically tracked through the Argos satellite system, according to Dr Harley Newton, OCEARCH Chief Scientist & Veterinarian.
You can follow Contender’s journey here
The predator can be tracked through OCEARCH’s Global Shark Tracker app, where anyone can follow the animal as it moves. The animal has been pinged several times, including on January 26 and February 6, which means the tag attached to the fin was spotted above the surface for a brief period of time as it swam. It was last pinged on June 7.
Dr Newton told The Mirror: “The team that tags and releases the animals is composed of 3 fishermen and 3 scientists, so 6 people total. After tag and release the tag reports in electronically through the Argos satellite system and one person, our Senior Data Scientist keeps track of the animal movements.
“But that information is shared opening through our Global Shark Tracker app and anyone can follow these animals as they move.
“The challenges with tagging and release are what you would expect for research that involves fishing. The weather windows are short and sometimes far between in the winter in the southeastern US, so that’s our biggest challenge.
“Though we choose the locations we fish based on water temperatures, bottom structure and other oceanographic features that we believe white sharks prefer, there is never a guarantee that there is a white shark in the area. We at times encounter large white sharks that choose to only investigate our boat but aren’t interested in the bait we have to offer, avoiding capture.
“After tagging the biggest challenge is whether the animal will surface long enough to allow the satellite linked tag we put on the dorsal fin to communicate and give a location. This can also be impacted by growth of algae and other material on the surface of the tag which can increase with time or if the animal spends a lot of time in warm water.”
According to the expert, Contender could visit many places in the Northeastern US and Canada, including some tourist hotspots. Although there are “two primary locations” where he might be spotted in the summer, it remains an exciting mystery.
Dr Newton added: “This the exciting question about Contender, as this is the first season we will be able to watch him migrate to a summer/fall foraging area.
“Although there are many places in the Northeastern US and Canada where he could go, there are two primary locations where many white sharks spend the summer: Cape Cod, Massachusetts or Nova Scotia, Canada.
“We won’t know until he shows us, which is all the more reason to follow him on the tracker.”
The shark can be tracked here.