08.02.2025 11:40
The largest male great white shark ever caught has been found off the coast of Florida. Weighing 1,653 pounds and nearly 14 feet long, the shark has been named 'Contender.' This massive creature was detected and tagged by Ocearch. Data will be collected on Contender's movements and migration patterns, tracked with a SPOT tag. The last signal from Contender came from a point near Daytona Beach, and it was determined that he traveled 168 miles in 20 days.
```html
On January 17, the largest male great white shark ever caught was identified off the coast of Florida. Researchers decided to give this massive creature a name that suits its intimidating physique.
Weighing 1,653 pounds (approximately 750 kg) and nearly 14 feet (about 4.3 meters) long, the adult shark was named "Contender."
A normal male great white shark measures 12-13 feet (3.6-4 meters), while females are 15-16 feet (4.5-4.9 meters) long.
Contender was identified and tagged by Ocearch, a global non-profit organization that researches and tracks the ocean's most feared giants.
Contender was fitted with a SPOT tag, one of the most advanced technology tags used by marine researchers. This tag can record temperature, salinity, and depth data.
Ocearch shared the moment of tagging the massive shark just a few inches away from the research vessel on their Instagram page.
Thanks to the tag, the shark's movements can be tracked, and data can be collected on migration patterns. The public can also follow Contender's journey through Ocearch's shark tracking app.
Ocearch announced that the name of the record-breaking shark was inspired by Contender Boats, a company that produces semi-custom sport fishing boats and provides vessels for the organization's extensive missions.
After tagging Contender, the team observed that the shark's migration route continued along the Georgia-Florida coast. The last signal from Contender came from offshore Flagler Beach, about half an hour away from Daytona Beach.
Contender traveled 168 miles (270 km) in 20 days. According to Ocearch's Shark Tracker, it covered a distance of 5 miles (8 km) in the last 72 hours.
In addition to tracking migration patterns, Ocearch researchers also managed to collect biological samples from Contender.
```