A massive great white shark, the largest in the world, has been spotted near Canada following an incredible 845-mile journey. The 14-foot predator, weighing 1,653 pounds, was recently tracked just 7 miles off the Quebec coast on Monday morning.
The shark, known as “Contender,” is 30 years old and has been consistently moving at an impressive rate of 11.5 miles per day. OCEARCH, a non-profit organization monitoring marine life, shared that Contender was last located heading towards Martha’s Vineyard, a popular destination for the affluent.
According to John Tyminski, a Senior Data Scientist at OCEARCH, Contender has now moved further into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, positioned north of Anticosti Island. Since July 18, Contender has covered a minimum distance of approximately 845 miles, averaging 11.5 miles per day.
The researchers revealed that white sharks like Contender typically spend their summers hunting for food in the western North Atlantic. However, with this recent discovery, experts have learned that Contender seems to prefer the waters of Atlantic Canada during this time of year.
While the exact next destination of Contender remains uncertain, there is a possibility that he may start heading south by mid-October. Mr. Tyminski emphasized that white sharks like Contender are adaptable hunters, moving to areas with abundant prey such as seals, marine mammals, or schooling fish like mackerel or tuna.
With the observation of Contender’s migration pattern, scientists are gaining valuable insights into the geographic range and preferred habitats of white sharks. This continual tracking of tagged sharks is enhancing the understanding of their behavior and movements over time.