The largest great white shark ever seen in the Atlantic has reappeared off the coast of Canada, where it is hunting seals ahead of winter.
“Contender,” a 14-foot-long beast, was tagged in January by OCEARCH, a nonprofit that studies large marine animals, in the North Atlantic near Jacksonville, 45 miles off the Florida-Georgia coast.
His tracker sends a location signal only when the shark's dorsal fin briefly breaks the surface of the water.
Last week, it pinged from the northernmost tip of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, off Canada's Labrador Peninsula, making him “one of the northernmost pinging sharks we have,” researchers said.
The 1,653-pound creature, estimated to be around 30 years old, spent the summer and fall in the area feeding on seals, building up fat for its winter return to Florida.
On June 11, 2025, a 14-foot great white shark “Contender” was studied in the North Atlantic Ocean. OCEARCH/SWNS
OCEARCH scientists hope tracking Contender will reveal the world's first known great white shark mating site.
OCEARCH founder and expedition leader Chris Fischer, 56, said: “Only a couple have made it that far north.
“Animals like this, spending their summer and fall in the north – what are they doing? Well, a lot of what they're doing is preparing for winter.”
Competitors “put a lot of pressure on the seals, constantly eating seals, swimming in front of the seal group, trying to gain some weight before returning to Florida for the winter,” Fisher said.
The competitor's tracker transmits a positioning signal only when the shark's dorsal fin is briefly exposed above the water's surface. OCEARCH/SWNS
The 1,653-pound creature, estimated to be around 30 years old, spent the summer and fall in the area feeding on seals, building up fat for its winter return to Florida. OCEARCH/SWNS
He says this behavior has unexpected environmental benefits.
“The byproduct of stressing the seals is really good, they're protecting our fish populations,” Fisher said.
“We know that if white sharks stand in front of seals and put pressure on them, they will eat a quarter less food per day.
He added: “If that white shark wasn't there, those seals would disappear and wipe out all the fish.”
He said the presence of the Contender in such cold northern waters was a testament to the great white shark's extraordinary adaptability.
“Great white sharks have the ability to warm themselves and survive in cold water, but they have to have a lot of food,” Fisher said.
“Like horses in the winter, as long as they have food, they're fine. If they don't have food, they freeze very quickly.”
The contender was tagged off the Florida-Georgia coast in January.
The presence of a competitor in such cold northern waters is a testament to the great white shark's remarkable adaptability. OCEARCH/SWNS
After disappearing for nearly a month, he pinged Pamlico Sound in North Carolina twice a day.
He then sailed a long journey north without “sending any signals” until surfacing on September 29 near Natash Springs in Canada.
On October 2, the shark was only on the surface for a short time, but not long enough to determine its exact location, when a z-ping occurred.
The Contender, which was tagged off the Florida-Georgia coast in January, represents hope for the recovery of a population that was decimated decades ago.
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“We completely eradicated sharks in the ’70s, ’80s and ’60s — our shark population was down to nine percent,” Fisher said.
What makes Contender particularly valuable to researchers is his potential to unlock one of the biggest mysteries of marine biology.
“These large mature males are important because they help us understand where and when mating occurs,” Fisher said.
Unlike female white sharks, which have complex two-year migration cycles, “male white sharks basically revolve around mating all year long,” he added.
After disappearing for nearly a month, he pinged Pamlico Sound in North Carolina twice a day. OCEARCH/SWNS
Unlike female great whites, which have complex two-year migration cycles, “male great whites basically revolve around mating throughout the year.” OCEARCH/SWNS
Tracking data from the Contender satellite tag will run for five years and could lead to unprecedented scientific breakthroughs.
“White shark mating sites have not been found anywhere in the world in any of these nine populations,” Fisher said. “This would be the first time.”
Fischer's team is paying particular attention to what Contender will do in the coming months.
The shark's location next spring could provide important evidence in determining mating sites, with early data suggesting the shark is active near the southeastern United States.
Despite its size, the Contender still has room to grow—perhaps more than 20 feet in total.
Fisher is particularly interested in what Contender will look like “in 30 or 40 years,” noting that the mammoth was about 30 to 35 years old and could live to be over 70 years old.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun watching Contenders this year,” Fisher said.
“I want to know where the competitors will be in March 2026, April 2026. I think that could be an important clue in determining where they are mating.”