It sounds like the plot for a movie. But the world's biggest great white shark is currently on a collision course with a popular summer vacation spot.
Researchers are tracking the massive fish through the Atlantic. They're alarmed by where it is currently headed. The great white shark dubbed Contender is the largest ever recorded. OCEARCH tagged the shark in the North Atlantic back in January. At the time, it was 45 miles away from Jacksonville.
After going offline for almost a month, data from the tracker has appeared. The shark appeared off the Pamlico Sound in North Carolina. Pamlico Sound is a popular vacation spot in the state. So it may be freaky to some tourists to know that the world's biggest great white is lurking in the area. At 30 years old, Contender weighs more than 1,653. That definitely could do a lot of damage.
Massive Great White
However, researchers believe that the shark is headed north. Its layover near North Carolina comes during what they dub to be a critical feeding period. The great white is building up its energy reserves so it can continue its migration. However, that certainly isn't comforting to the tourists in the water.
A very hungry, very large great white sounds like a horror movie to me. Dr. Harley Newton, OCEARCH's chief scientist and veterinarian, opened up about the shark.
"This time of year, white sharks are starting their late spring/early summer migration (May 16 to June 30), moving from their southern overwintering area to their summer/fall foraging areas in the northeastern US and Atlantic Canada," said Newton.
"We often see the sharks on our global shark tracker spend a period of time off the Outer Banks right before they move north, which is what white shark Contender appears to be doing," Newton continued. "This may be due to rich food resources in the region and would serve as a time to feed and prepare before what may be a journey of 1,000 miles or more."
That being said, it's unlikely we're going to be recreating Jaws in North Carolina. Still, it's good to know where a shark of that size lurks.
