Massive Great White Shark Approaches Popular Vacation Spot
WHO:
Diario AS - The shark is known as Contender and was tagged by the research organization OCEARCH.
CBS News Entertainment - Paul de Gelder, a shark attack survivor and advocate, is involved in tracking the shark.
WHAT:
Diario AS - Contender is the largest male great white shark tagged in the Atlantic by OCEARCH.
Diario AS - The largest great whites ever reliably recorded have reached around 20 feet in length and are estimated to weigh more than 4,000 pounds.
Diario AS - The latest transmission from Contender matches the typical migration pattern of great white sharks in the North Atlantic, indicating it is moving toward cooler waters with abundant food.
Diario AS - Contender measures more than 13 feet long and weighs nearly 1,700 pounds.
Diario AS - The shark transmitted a new signal from its satellite tag after several months of silence.
Diario AS - The last confirmed location of Contender was near Pamlico Sound in North Carolina in April.
Diario AS - The shark's presence does not represent an immediate threat to beachgoers.
CBS News Entertainment - Paul de Gelder discusses his high-risk mission to search for the largest sharks in the North Atlantic.
WHERE:
Diario AS - One of the most common seasonal destinations for great white sharks is Cape Cod, Massachusetts, known for its beaches that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
Diario AS - Contender was tagged off the coast of Georgia.
Diario AS - The shark is believed to be migrating toward Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
WHEN:
Diario AS - Contender was tagged in January 2026.
Diario AS - The last confirmed location was in April 2026.
Diario AS - The satellite tag sent a transmission on July 10, 2026.
WHY:
Diario AS - Researchers track sharks like Contender to better understand their migration routes and how they use the Atlantic Ocean throughout the year.
HOW:
Diario AS - The tracking system requires at least three consecutive satellite transmissions to accurately determine the shark’s position, but only one signal was received, indicating that Contender briefly broke the surface before diving back underwater.
Diario AS - The tracking system requires at least three consecutive satellite transmissions to accurately determine the shark’s position.
(UPDATED July 28, 2026 06:47 UTC)
A male great white shark named Contender has been tagged as the largest of its kind in the Atlantic by OCEARCH, with the biggest great whites typically reaching around 20 feet and weighing over 4,000 pounds. The latest transmission from Contender shows it following the usual migration pattern toward cooler waters rich in food, which often leads these sharks to popular destinations like Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Although the tracking system usually needs three consecutive satellite signals to pinpoint the shark's location, only one was received, suggesting that Contender briefly surfaced before diving back down.
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(UPDATED July 28, 2026 05:57 UTC)
A shark named Contender, measuring over 13 feet and weighing nearly 1,700 pounds, has recently transmitted a new signal from its satellite tag after months of silence. Tagged off the coast of Georgia in January 2026, Contender was last confirmed near Pamlico Sound in North Carolina in April and is believed to be migrating toward Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Shark attack survivor and advocate Paul de Gelder is actively involved in tracking this shark, as researchers aim to better understand its migration patterns in the Atlantic Ocean.