A massive great white shark named Contender has reappeared in the northern Atlantic, pinging off the coast of Atlantic Canada after being previously tracked near Florida. The shark, measuring around 14 feet and weighing 1,653 pounds, was first tagged by marine scientists earlier this year and is now feeding on seal colonies in northern waters.
Scientists say Contender’s presence so far north is rare but not unprecedented—he’s one of the most northerly great white pings ever recorded. The shark, estimated to be 30 to 35 years old, is building fat stores ahead of a seasonal return south. Researchers hope that tracking his movements might help identify critical breeding grounds, a key unknown in great white shark behavior and conservation.
Ocean biologists are closely monitoring satellite data from Contender’s tag, which only emits signals when his dorsal fin breaks the surface. The findings may shed light on how these apex predators adapt to colder waters and long-distance migration patterns.