Researchers are monitoring what’s believed to be the most important shark ever tagged by OCEARCH within the southwest Atlantic, with its final pings off Florida’s east coast.
The white shark, named Contender, was initially tagged on Jan. 17, 2025, roughly 45 miles off the coast of the Florida-Georgia border and has typically traveled southward alongside the Gulf Stream.
In response to biologists, the shark is sort of 14 ft lengthy and weighed a powerful 1,652.8 kilos when researchers discovered it.
The shark’s tag will transmit real-time information to researchers, offering insights into his actions and habits over the subsequent a number of years.
“Contender’s identify is in honor of Contender Boats, a longtime OCEARCH companion, whose industry-leading sport fishing and pleasure boats allow our analysis missions.
Their dedication to efficiency and innovation is important to our capacity to discover and defend our oceans,” the group acknowledged.
Beachgoers don’t must cancel their holidays to the Sunshine State because the white shark has typically stayed greater than 40 miles off the coast.
OCEARCH
In response to biologists, sharks typically migrate to the waters off of Florida and the Southeast throughout the fall and winter in the hunt for prey.
Throughout the spring and summer time, the marine animals are likely to journey additional offshore and head northward in the direction of the Northeast U.S. and Canada to feed on seals.
In response to the Worldwide Fund for Animal Welfare, the inhabitants of white sharks world wide is believed to exceed 3,000 and is presently not thought-about to be endangered; nevertheless, local weather change and entanglements have impacted the inhabitants.
OCEARCH mentioned the tag on Contender must be uncovered to the air for round 90 seconds, to triangulate the shark’s location precisely.
The battery is alleged to final round 5 years, however its lifespan is completely depending on what number of occasions the shark surfaces.
As of late 2024, marine biologists had tagged practically 400 sharks with most being both nice white or tiger sharks.
