The largest great white shark ever documented in the Atlantic Ocean, a 1,700-pound male named "Contender," is believed to be heading north towards popular summer destinations along the Massachusetts coast. The apex predator was last tracked by the research group OCEARCH near the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Contender, measuring 14 feet long, was fitted with a GPS tracking device on its fin. After disappearing for several months since an April sighting off the Outer Banks, the device provided a partial ping on Friday. While not strong enough for an exact location, OCEARCH researchers interpret the data to suggest the shark is continuing its typical migratory pattern.
"White sharks in the western North Atlantic typically migrate north and spend the summer and early fall foraging in the waters of Cape Cod or Atlantic Canada," an OCEARCH spokesperson told the New York Post. "These two regions offer comfortable water temperatures and an abundant food supply, in particular abundant seals and large fish species."
Cape Cod is a well-known summer hotspot for tourists, and its waters are rich with the prey that white sharks seek. Contender's northward trajectory suggests it will follow this natural inclination for feeding and temperature, moving towards the busy coastal areas.