The largest great white shark ever tagged by an ocean research group in the Atlantic has been spotted just off the coast of Massachusetts.
Contender, a mature male shark measuring 13.8 feet and weighing around 1,653 pounds, emerged near Nantucket on July 18.
Shark Week 2025, an annual programming block from Discovery, coincidentally began two days later on July 20.
The shark’s tag pinged around 100 miles south of Boston and 30 miles from Cape Cod – a popular tourist destination.
The powerful animal was tagged on January 17, around 45 miles off the coast of Florida and Georgia, in order to help researchers and conservationists.
Contender then headed up to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, which researchers say is typical of great whites.
It is believed the stop may be due to rich food resources in the region and gives the animal time to prepare for a journey north that could be more than 1000 miles.
According to Ocearch, Contender’s name is in honor of Contender Boats, a longtime partner of the research group, whose industry-leading sport fishing and pleasure boats enable its research missions.
Contender is the largest male white shark ever caught, SPOT tagged, released and now studied in the North West Atlantic white shark population. The tag, which pings when the shark’s dorsal fin breaches the surface, will last for five years.
Researchers estimate Contender to be about 32 years old, with great whites typically living between 30 and 40 years.
However, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that some creatures can reach the age of 70.
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