Meet Contender
Introducing Contender, the largest male great white shark tagged and released in the North Atlantic. Measuring an impressive 4.19 meters (13 feet 9 inches), this formidable predator has been making its way along the US East Coast, prompting scientists to hope that his presence indicates a resurgence of the region’s previously declining great white population.
Tagging and Tracking
Contender was caught, tagged, and released by the non-profit organization OCEARCH on January 17, 2025, approximately 72 kilometers (45 miles) offshore, near the borders of Florida and Georgia. Following his tagging, his tracking device recorded his movements southward along Florida’s coastline before he disappeared for nearly four weeks. He reemerged in April off the coast of North Carolina, remained active there until early June, and then went silent again. His most recent ping, registered on July 18, positioned him near Cape Cod in Massachusetts, a well-known area for shark activity.
Great White Sharks Overview
Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are found globally in coastal and offshore waters, undertaking remarkable migrations that cover thousands of kilometers. They are predominantly concentrated in three genetically distinct populations: the North Atlantic/Mediterranean, the North Pacific, and the Indo-Pacific, which separated from one another between 100,000 and 200,000 years ago and rarely interact today.
Contender’s Size and Importance
Weighing approximately 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds), Contender stands out as a giant, particularly among males. While female great white sharks typically eclipse males in size—averaging between 4.6 to 4.9 meters (15 to 16 feet) compared to the typical male’s 3.4 to 4.0 meters (11 to 13 feet)—Contender is nonetheless a significant figure in his own right.
“Although we have tagged and released a number of sharks as part of this project, animals of adult size have proven elusive,”
said Dr. Harley Newton, OCEARCH’s chief veterinarian and senior veterinary scientist, in a statement to Oceanographic in February 2025.
“Male white sharks are mature at around 11.5 feet and 26 years of age, so Contender at 14 feet is an adult male probably in his early 30’s and early in his reproductive life. He is an important part of the effective breeding population and will hopefully contribute to the rebuilding of the western North Atlantic white shark population,”
she added.
Notable Comparisons
OCEARCH has tagged even larger females in the North Atlantic, including Mary Lee, who measures 4.8 meters (16 feet) and weighs an estimated 1,197 kilograms (2,639 pounds). Another notable female is Nukumi, measuring 5.2 meters (17 feet 2 inches), but tracking data has not recorded her since 2021.
The largest great white shark ever documented is a female known as Deep Blue, measuring over 6 meters (20 feet) in length and believed to be around 50 years old. Despite her massive size and notoriety, Deep Blue remains mysterious. She was initially spotted in the 1990s, albeit not accurately documented, and has since become the focus of numerous high-profile sightings, many of which lack verification. Confirmed footage of her is rare, and her current location remains unknown.
