07/20/2026
A 1,700-pound great white shark has been detected near Outer Banks.
A satellite tag attached to "Contender," a 14-foot-long (4.3-meter), nearly 1,700-pound (770-kilogram) great white shark, transmitted a signal near North Carolina's Outer Banks this week.
The shark's tag only sends a location when its dorsal fin breaks the ocean's surface. This time, the fin remained above the water for only a few seconds, not long enough to pinpoint Contender's exact location, but long enough to confirm he is continuing his annual journey up the U.S. East Coast.
Marine scientists with OCEARCH first tagged Contender off the coasts of Florida and Georgia in January 2025. Since then, he has traveled more than 7,000 miles (11,300 kilometers), moving between the southeastern United States and the Gulf of St. Lawrence off eastern Canada.
His movements follow a well-known migration pattern.
During summer, great white sharks head north toward cooler waters around Cape Cod and Atlantic Canada, where abundant prey such as gray seals and large fish help them build energy reserves.
Despite his enormous size, Contender is not the largest great white ever recorded. That title is generally given to "Deep Blue," a female estimated to measure about 20 feet (6 meters) long and weigh roughly 4,500 pounds (2,040 kilograms).
The satellite tag attached to Contender is expected to transmit data for up to five years, allowing scientists to better understand how mature male great whites migrate, where they feed, and how they use the Atlantic Ocean throughout the year.
Researchers say this information is essential for conservation because great white sharks play a critical role as apex predators, helping maintain healthy marine ecosystems.
While sightings of sharks near beaches often generate headlines, attacks remain extremely rare. Scientists stress that these migrations are natural seasonal movements that have occurred for thousands of years.
Every new satellite ping helps researchers build a clearer picture of one of the ocean's most elusive predators.
📸Credit: OCEARCH
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