Largest great white shark ever tagged in the Atlantic is heading toward a popular vacation destination: It weighs 1,700 pounds and measures more than 13 feet long

Key Points:

• Contender, the largest male great white shark tagged in the Atlantic by OCEARCH, measuring over 13 feet and weighing nearly 1,700 pounds, has sent a new satellite signal after months of silence.
• The shark was last confirmed near Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, in April and is believed to be continuing its annual migration northward, potentially approaching popular East Coast summer spots like Cape Cod.
• Only a single satellite transmission was received on July 10, insufficient to pinpoint Contender's exact location, as the tracking system requires multiple consecutive signals for accurate positioning.
• Great white sharks like Contender typically migrate to cooler northern waters during summer and early fall, with Cape Cod being a common destination, but experts emphasize the shark does not pose an immediate threat to beachgoers.
• Tracking efforts provide valuable insights into great white shark migration and behavior, though much of Contender’s journey remains untraceable while it stays beneath the ocean surface.