Massive shark headed down Florida coast ahead of busy travel season

As assemblage students flock to Florida’s sandy beaches, researchers are tracking a record-breaking apex predator besides heading southbound for the holiday. 

Contender, a 1,653-pound antheral large achromatic shark measuring 13 feet, 9 inches, is being tracked disconnected the seashore of Florida, according to OCEARCH. As of Thursday morning, Contender was pinged conscionable a fewer miles from Sebastian and is continuing south. 

"Contender is simply a important summation to ongoing probe efforts successful the occidental North Atlantic to recognize the reproductive rhythm and timing of breeding successful big achromatic sharks, peculiarly successful the overwintering period," Dr. Harley Newton, OCEARCH main idiosyncratic and veterinarian, said successful a connection to Fox News Digital. 

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PHOTOS: See the infinitesimal Contender is tagged by researchers

Researchers judge Contender, dubbed "the eventual water warrior," is the largest shark to beryllium tracked by the organization, aft helium was tagged arsenic helium passed the Florida-Georgia borderline successful January. The radical is tracking Contender’s movements portion besides obtaining biologic samples for analysis. 

"The SPOT tag deployed connected Contender volition supply invaluable real-time information for astir 5 years, helping america way his movements and recognize his migration patterns," OCEARCH said. 

While Contender is astir 14 feet long, large achromatic sharks tin turn to lengths of 21 feet and measurement arsenic overmuch arsenic 4,500 pounds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

Scientists are besides keeping their eyes connected an further large achromatic arsenic it makes its mode down the coastline. Dold, an 11-foot, 761-pound shark, was past seen heading southbound done Hobe Sound, astir 100 miles up of Contender. 

"Dold is named successful grant of Dr. Christopher Dold of SeaWorld, a cardinal fig successful water conservation," OCEARCH said successful a statement. "Dr. Dold influenced the OCEARCH collaborative subject model, helping link experts unneurotic to thrust shark probe forward." 

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Dold, an 11-foot, 761-pound large achromatic shark, is besides being tracked by researchers arsenic helium makes his mode down the Florida coast. (OCEARCH)

If the predators proceed their existent paths, Contender and Dold volition soon walk by Fort Lauderdale and Miami earlier rounding disconnected the southernmost constituent of the Sunshine State — though their tracks are not guaranteed. 

"The information we get from the tags gives america penetration into the question and behaviour of these animals," Taylor Chapple, adjunct prof and laminitis of the Big Fish Lab astatine Oregon State University, told Fox News Digital. "This is important for america to recognize their relation successful the oceans — akin to however we way lions connected the Serengeti to recognize however they power wildebeest populations. They tin besides assistance america place captious places successful their lives, similar cardinal feeding areas oregon nurseries wherever babies turn up."

Great achromatic sharks are typically tagged by researchers utilizing a dart to connect the trackers portion the carnal is free-swimming astir the boat, according to Chapple. While the tags are wholly harmless for the sharks, they tin besides supply captious accusation to scientists. 

"Tags adjacent supply depth, somesthesia and acceleration information — which tin uncover details astir hunting behavior, diving habits and vigor use," Forrest Galante, a Discovery Channel "Shark Week" big and wildlife biologist, told Fox News Digital. 

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Dold is named successful grant of Dr. Christopher Dold of SeaWorld, a cardinal fig successful water conservation, according to OCEARCH. (OCEARCH)

As the monolithic marine animals adjacent successful connected Florida’s outpouring interruption destinations, experts accent that shark attacks are tracking overmuch little than mean crossed the world. 

Last year, determination were lone 47 reports of unprovoked shark bites and 7 confirmed fatalities worldwide, according to information released by the Florida Museum of Natural History. Out of 28 bites reported wrong the U.S. successful 2024, lone 1 was fatal. 

"If you’ve ever been successful the ocean, a shark has apt encountered you — you conscionable didn’t cognize it," Chapple told Fox News Digital. "If sharks wanted to devour people, determination would beryllium a full batch little surfers successful the water. We’re conscionable not connected their menu."

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While thousands of assemblage students are expected to deed the sands on Florida’s coastline successful the coming weeks to observe outpouring break, Contender and Dold are not expected to enactment a damper connected their plans arsenic some sharks person stayed astir 40 miles from the beaches. 

To support safe, researchers suggest swimmers should debar wearing shiny jewelry, refrain from swimming astatine dawn oregon dusk and debar areas wherever fishermen are present. 

"Shark encounters are incredibly rare," Chapple said. "You’re overmuch much apt to dice from a falling coconut oregon taking a selfie than a shark onslaught connected your tropical vacation."