'Massive' Great White Shark Spotted Near Popular U.S. Beach
It's officially Shark Week, so it's only fitting that a great white was spotted on the East Coast. That being said, it wasn't just any great white shark. Back in January, research group OCEARCH tagged a great white shark that's nearly 14 feet long. This great white, which weighs 1,653 pounds, has been named "Contender." It was initially found off the coast of Georgia.
"Contender is the largest male white shark ever caught, SPOT tagged, released and now studied in the NW Atlantic white shark population," OCEARCH said. "The SPOT tag deployed on Contender will provide valuable real-time data for approximately five years, helping us track his movements and understand his migration patterns. Additionally, we’ve collected important biological samples, including urogenital material, which are currently being analyzed."
OCEARCH has the ability to track "Contender" for roughly five years. The hope is they'll learn about great whites and their migration patterns. Last Friday, "Contender" was detected 50 miles off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Thankfully, no one was harmed while the shark was swimming between Nantucket Shoals and Georges Bank.
Earlier this year, a 20-foot shark was spotted near Rhode Island's Block Island. There were also two sharks detected on the coast of Maine. Shark attack survivor Paul de Gelder recently provided a few tips for those concerned about their safety this summer. He told people to avoid splashing and stay calm while in the ocean.
