A sea monster has just been discovered in the Atlantic: 4.2 metres long

It was 17 January 2025: a sea monster nicknamed "Contender" was spotted off the American coast. 

At 4.2 metres long and weighing 750kg, this male great white shark has become a record specimen in the North-West Atlantic, reports the media Midi Libre. Last January, scientists from the OCEARCH team were able to capture and tag the animal. According to GEO, "Contender" is the largest male ever identified in the North-West Atlantic. 

The shark, which is the size of a small car, was discovered more than 70km from the border between Georgia and Florida. The chief veterinarian at OCEARCH highlights: "Male great white sharks reach maturity at around 26 years and approximately 3.5m. So, of course, we were very excited to see a specimen of this size, close to 4.3m." Females, on the other hand, can reach up to six metres.

Understanding one of the largest fish in the world better

Thanks to this extraordinary discovery, the study of the great white shark will be able to evolve, allowing scientists to better understand the breeding grounds and migratory routes of one of the largest fish in the sea. Essential advances for protecting this endangered species. 

To track its journey, a SPOT tag was placed on the animal. According to the last signal sent, the shark was located near Orlando, Florida, on 10 February. 

(MH with Raphaël Liset - Source: Midi Libre - Illustration: ©Unsplash)