Contender, the ‘Real Life Jaws’ Great White Shark Surfaces off Jersey Coast

A 1,653-pound great white shark broke the surface on Nov. 12 at 9:14 p.m., roughly 30 miles east of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Contender stretches 13 feet 9 inches. He's the biggest adult male ever tagged by OCEARCH, a nonprofit marine group tracking shark movements.

You can track Contender's latest movements here: https://www.ocearch.org/tracker/detail/contender

OCEARCH first tagged this massive predator - affectionately referred to as "the real life JAWS" - on Jan. 17 near the Florida-Georgia border, about 45 miles offshore. Since then, he's traveled 4,309 miles in 299 days at an average speed of 0.5 to 0.6 mph.

Since his surfacing near Atlantic City, Contender has made his way back down the coastline and as of mid-day on November 17, he was hanging out near the Outer Banks of North Carolina, just a few miles off shore.

The organization calls him "the ultimate ocean warrior," USA TODAY reported. Researchers believe he is in his early 30s and just starting his reproductive life.

"Male white sharks are mature at around 11.5 feet and 26 years of age, so Contender at nearly 14 feet is an adult male probably in his early 30s," said Harley Newton, OCEARCH's chief scientist and veterinarian. "He is an important part of the effective breeding population and will hopefully contribute to the rebuilding of the western North Atlantic white shark population."

His dorsal fin carries a satellite device called a SPOT tag that provides real-time data for about five years. The tag pings when his dorsal fin breaks the water's surface, letting scientists track migration patterns.

OCEARCH also collects biological samples from tagged animals, including urogenital material from urinary or sexual reproductive organs. This data helps researchers understand how these apex predators move, feed and contribute to population recovery.

"Every ping from Contender gives us a window into the life of a mature male white shark — how he moves, feeds, and contributes to the population's recovery," said Chris Fischer, OCEARCH Founder and Expedition Leader, per Patch.com. "His journey connects Florida to Canada, and his story represents the power of collaboration between science, innovation, and the public who follow him in real time."

The tracked animal pinged 11 times while swimming south from Canadian waters. On Sept. 29, researchers got his location near Anticosta Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. He broke the surface again on Oct. 29 near Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia before heading toward warmer waters.

While he is the biggest male white shark tagged by the group, a female named Nukumi holds the overall record. She measured 17 feet 2 inches and weighed 3,541 pounds when tagged.

Anyone can track this animal and others through the OCEARCH Shark Tracker app, available on Apple Store and Google Play.