Great white shark surfaces off popular New Jersey beach coast — on ‘Jaws’ anniversary
A New Discovery: 11-Foot Great White Shark Named “Dold” Makes a Splash Off New Jersey Coast
Imagine the scene: an 11-foot great white shark named “Dold” emerges off the coast of New Jersey, just as the 50th anniversary of the iconic movie “Jaws” is being celebrated. It sounds like something straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster, but this was a real-life event that took place on Friday.
The massive 761-pound predator, tagged by researchers at OCEARCH, sent out a satellite “ping” while swimming about 40 miles off Monmouth County. This area is home to popular beaches like Long Branch, Asbury Park, and Spring Lake, as reported by the Asbury Park Press.
Dold’s unexpected appearance coincided with the 50th anniversary of the release of “Jaws,” the classic shark thriller directed by Steven Spielberg that first hit theaters on June 20, 1975.
The shark, named after SeaWorld conservationist Christopher Dold, was initially tagged in February near the Florida-Georgia border after a brief stint on a research vessel, according to OCEARCH.
A satellite tag was attached to Dold’s dorsal fin, along with an acoustic device implanted inside his body to track his movements. Researchers estimate that the shark is around 25 years old, not yet fully grown, and could potentially reach a length of 18 feet.
Since being tagged, Dold has embarked on a journey from the Gulf of Florida, circling back north in May to cruise along the East Coast as part of his seasonal migration, as documented by the nonprofit organization.
The distinctive “ping” from Dold’s dorsal fin occurs when he breaks the ocean surface for a sufficient amount of time, typically around 90 seconds, for a satellite to detect it, researchers explained.
OCEARCH has been involved in tagging over 100 great white sharks over the past 15 years, shedding light on their behavior and migratory patterns.
While Dold’s weight of 761 pounds is impressive, it pales in comparison to other sharks tagged by OCEARCH, such as Contender, a hefty 1,653-pound male last spotted near the Outer Banks of the East Coast, or Nukumi, a massive 3,541-pound female who hasn’t been detected since 2021.
