Largest male shark Contender spotted moving south near Florida Georgia line

Contender, the famous white shark, is once again on the move, this time heading towards warmer seas for the winter season. Back in January, Contender made headlines when he was tagged by OCEARCH, a non-profit organization, off the coast of the Florida/Georgia line. He was identified as the largest male white shark ever recorded in the Atlantic by the OCEARCH team.

OCEARCH is committed to studying and protecting marine life, including sharks, whales, and sea turtles. By tagging these animals, they can track their migration patterns and behavior from a distance. In 2025, Contender’s migration route was closely monitored as he ventured north during the summer in search of food, making stops along Cape Hatteras before reaching Canada. By November, he started heading south again and was last pinged off the coast of New Jersey.

As the year comes to a close and colder weather sets in, Contender is making his way south to enjoy some Florida sunshine for the holiday season. His latest ping off the coast of Jacksonville indicates that he may stay in the area or continue further south until springtime.

OCEARCH has also been tracking the migration patterns of other white sharks, including Ripple, Danny, and Baker. These sharks are also moving towards warmer waters as temperatures shift. Baker, a large adult white shark, was recently spotted off the coast of South Carolina, while Danny, a sub-adult shark, was relaxing in the Florida Keys.

Ripple, another sub-adult white shark, was originally tagged off the coast of Nova Scotia and has since been tracked down to the waters off New Orleans. Each ping from these sharks provides valuable data for scientists to better understand how they respond to changing conditions throughout the year.

As the holiday season approaches, it remains to be seen where Contender and the other white sharks will spend the rest of the winter. For those interested in tracking their movements in real-time, OCEARCH offers the free Global Shark Tracker app, where you can follow Contender, Baker, Danny, Ripple, and over 400 other marine animals as they navigate the oceans.