Tracker shows 13-foot shark swimming north along Atlantic coast
In this Sept. 7, 2012 file photo, the research vessel Ocearch has set her anchor as the crew begins their search for great white sharks on the Atlantic Ocean, spending two to three weeks tagging sharks and collecting blood and tissue samples off the coast of Chatham, Mass. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)
Weighing in at three quarters of a metric tonne, measuring over four metres from nose to tail and swimming more than 3,000 kilometres since the beginning of this year alone, he is the largest shark of his kind ever captured and recorded.
Meet Contender, the northwest Atlantic Ocean's biggest, baddest great white shark on record, who may be headed for Canadian waters some day soon.
First sighted off the Florida-Georgia coast in January, Contender was caught by scientists from global non-profit OCEARCH and fitted with a satellite tracker to monitor his movements.
In the 142 days since, the shark has traced a path south past Daytona Beach, Fla., before disappearing from researchers' radar for weeks at a time in March and then resurfacing in April off the coast of North Carolina.
At last ping on June 7, Contender's GPS shows he was stalking the waters east of Pamlico Sound, on the far side of the Outer Banks islands.
Long-term research by OCEARCH has found great whites like Contender maintain a surprisingly wide range of migration, stretching from the eastern Gulf of Mexico in the south, all the way to the southern coast of Newfoundland, where seals and other 'high-calorie prey' can be found.
Sharks often spend the warmer months off the coasts of Atlantic Canada and New England, before returning to the balmier waters in the south, OCEARCH says. GPS data from 48 different sharks show a high 'site fidelity' as well, meaning they often return to the same areas year after year.
While this is Contender's first year of contributing data to the project, his path so far has him tracking north, and if he follows the traditional routes, the beast that OCEARCH calls the 'ultimate ocean warrior' may find himself in Canadian territory later this summer.
'Stay tuned as we continue following Contender on his journey to help protect sharks and the ocean ecosystem!' his profile on the organization's shark tracker reads.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Post
13 hours ago
- National Post
A nearby galaxy is revealed in thousands of dazzling colours
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronomers have revealed a nearby spiral galaxy in all its brilliant glory, shining in thousands of colours. Article content The dazzling panoramic shot released Wednesday of the Sculptor galaxy by a telescope in Chile is so detailed that it's already serving as a star-packed map. Article content Article content Scientists used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope to observe the galaxy for some 50 hours, stitching together more than 100 exposures to create the picture. The image spans 65,000 light years, almost the entire galaxy. A light-year is 9.5 trillion kilometres Article content Article content Sculptor — officially labeled NGC 253 — is considered a starburst galaxy, one heavy with stellar action. It's located 11 million light years away in the Southern Hemisphere's constellation Sculptor, and easy to view with binoculars or small telescopes. Article content Article content 'The Sculptor galaxy is in a sweet spot,' the observatory's Enrico Congiu, who led the research, said in a statement. 'It is close enough that we can resolve its internal structure and study its building blocks with incredible detail, but at the same time, big enough that we can still see it as a whole system.' Article content The more shades of colour from stars, gas and dust in a galaxy, the more clues to their age, composition and motion, according to the scientists. Sculptor's latest snapshot contains thousands of colours — a glowing montage of purples, pinks and yellows — compared with just a handful for traditional pictures. Article content
CTV News
18 hours ago
- CTV News
Tracker shows 13-foot shark swimming north along Atlantic coast
In this Sept. 7, 2012 file photo, the research vessel Ocearch has set her anchor as the crew begins their search for great white sharks on the Atlantic Ocean, spending two to three weeks tagging sharks and collecting blood and tissue samples off the coast of Chatham, Mass. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File) Weighing in at three quarters of a metric tonne, measuring over four metres from nose to tail and swimming more than 3,000 kilometres since the beginning of this year alone, he is the largest shark of his kind ever captured and recorded. Meet Contender, the northwest Atlantic Ocean's biggest, baddest great white shark on record, who may be headed for Canadian waters some day soon. First sighted off the Florida-Georgia coast in January, Contender was caught by scientists from global non-profit OCEARCH and fitted with a satellite tracker to monitor his movements. In the 142 days since, the shark has traced a path south past Daytona Beach, Fla., before disappearing from researchers' radar for weeks at a time in March and then resurfacing in April off the coast of North Carolina. At last ping on June 7, Contender's GPS shows he was stalking the waters east of Pamlico Sound, on the far side of the Outer Banks islands. Long-term research by OCEARCH has found great whites like Contender maintain a surprisingly wide range of migration, stretching from the eastern Gulf of Mexico in the south, all the way to the southern coast of Newfoundland, where seals and other 'high-calorie prey' can be found. Sharks often spend the warmer months off the coasts of Atlantic Canada and New England, before returning to the balmier waters in the south, OCEARCH says. GPS data from 48 different sharks show a high 'site fidelity' as well, meaning they often return to the same areas year after year. While this is Contender's first year of contributing data to the project, his path so far has him tracking north, and if he follows the traditional routes, the beast that OCEARCH calls the 'ultimate ocean warrior' may find himself in Canadian territory later this summer. 'Stay tuned as we continue following Contender on his journey to help protect sharks and the ocean ecosystem!' his profile on the organization's shark tracker reads.
CTV News
3 days ago
- CTV News
Remains of large, shortfin mako shark found in eastern Nova Scotia
The remains of a 3.6-metre female shortfin mako shark, seen in this handout photo, were found near Port Dufferin, N.S., on June 14, 2025. The rope on its tail was attached after it was found to secure the animal in place. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Marine Animal Response Society *MANDATORY CREDIT* PORT DUFFERIN — The body of a large, adult shark was found on the weekend along Nova Scotia's eastern shore. The Halifax-based Marine Animal Response Society says the 3.6-metre shortfin mako was found Saturday near Port Dufferin, N.S., about 140 kilometres east of Halifax. Executive Director Tonya Wimmer says it remains unclear how the female shark died. She says it is rare to find this type of shark near the shore because they typically seek warmer waters far offshore. According to the federal Fisheries Department, shortfin makos can grow to 3.9 meters in length. They are considered the fastest sharks in the ocean, capable of reaching speeds up to 68 kilometres per hour. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2025.
