{"id":2866,"date":"2025-06-21T16:57:09","date_gmt":"2025-06-21T16:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/2866\/"},"modified":"2025-06-21T16:57:09","modified_gmt":"2025-06-21T16:57:09","slug":"scientist-tracking-biggest-great-white-shark-ever-contender-reveals-how-to-escape-encounter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/2866\/","title":{"rendered":"Scientist tracking biggest great white shark ever Contender reveals how to escape encounter"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"SWNS\"
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the scientists involved in tracking Contender \u2013 the biggest great white shark <\/a>ever recorded by researchers in the Atlantic \u2013 has revealed how to escape a close encounter.<\/p>\n

Contender, the 14-foot beast, <\/a>was tagged in the North Atlantic by OCEARCH in January \u2013 a non-profit organization that conducts research on large marine animals \u2013 45 miles off the Florida-Georgia coast, off Jacksonville and popped up off Pamlico Sound in North Carolina earlier this month.<\/p>\n

There have been a number of other reports of shark incidents in recent days \u2013 including a nine-year-old girl\u00a0nearly had her hand bitten off near Boca Grande, Florida.<\/p>\n

Scientist tag the 14 foot great white shark, Contender, in the Atlantic Ocean. OCEARCH \/ SWNS<\/p>\n

Dr. Harley Newton, chief scientist and veterinarian for OCEARCH, from Jacksonville, Florida, has dedicated her career to studying sharks \u2013 including Contender \u2013 and educating the public.<\/p>\n

She has revealed the surprising thing you should avoid wearing when swimming in the ocean \u2013 and what do to if you do come face to face with a predator.<\/p>\n

Her advice includes avoiding dawn and dusk swims, staying close to shore, swimming with a buddy, and avoid wearing shiny objects like jewellery.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

And she said maintain visual contact if you spot a shark, backing away slowly while facing it.<\/p>\n

While shark attacks are rare, she stresses awareness and respect for the ocean.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ocean is a wild place,\u201d Dr. Newton said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you see schools of fish, particularly if they\u2019re jumping out of the water, that might be something that you want to move away from because that\u2019s going to be very attractive for sharks, and it might help you avoid an accident or an incident.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Harley Newton is the chief scientist and veterinarian for OCEARCH, from Jacksonville, Florida. OCEARCH \/ SWNS<\/p>\n

While shark attacks are extremely rare, Dr. Newton advises that maintaining visual contact with an aggressive shark is crucial for safety.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a last resort, striking the shark\u2019s nose may deter it; however, this should only be attempted if necessary.<\/p>\n

According to Dr. Newton, bull sharks and tiger sharks are considered among the most dangerous species due to their size, strength, and habitat preferences that bring them into contact with humans.<\/p>\n

She notes that all sharks should be treated with caution and respect.<\/p>\n

Dr. Newton is passionate about correcting myths about sharks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Contrary to popular belief, sharks can get cancer, can not smell blood from miles away \u2013 the max distance the length of an Olympic-size swimming pool \u2013 and are not mindless man-eaters seeking human prey.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are most often looking for prey or typical prey items when there are interactions with humans,\u201d Dr. Newton said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not out there actively looking for humans. They\u2019re looking for the typical prey that they would want to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

OCEARCH\u2019s tracking of Contender has also provided valuable data about great white shark migration patterns.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Its movements from Florida northward along the Atlantic coast have provided researchers with unprecedented insights into the behavior of adult male sharks.<\/p>\n

\u201cCatching an adult male shark in January was a new data point for us,\u201d Dr. Newton noted. \u201cWe were really excited to catch him, tag him, sample him, and release him.\u201d<\/p>\n

OCEARCH\u2019s tracking of Contender has also provided valuable data about great white shark migration patterns.\u00a0 OCEARCH \/ SWNS<\/p>\n

This tracking effort helps scientists understand shark habitat use and identify areas where human and shark activities overlap, potentially reducing the risk of negative interactions between them.<\/p>\n

The ongoing monitoring of Contender and other sharks contributes to both conservation efforts and public safety by providing real-time data about shark movements and behavior patterns.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This knowledge allows for more informed beach management decisions and helps educate the public about sharing the ocean with these apex predators.<\/p>\n

As summer approaches and more people head to beaches along the Atlantic coast, Dr. Newton emphasizes that awareness and respect for the ocean environment are key to staying safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnderstanding that we\u2019re entering their habitat is important,\u201d Dr. Newton said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cSharks play a vital role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems, and with some simple precautions, we can safely enjoy the water while respecting these magnificent animals that have been evolving for over 400 million years.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ongoing monitoring of Contender and other sharks contributes to both conservation efforts and public safety by providing real-time data about shark movements and behavior patterns.\u00a0 OCEARCH \/ SWNS<\/p>\n

TIPS<\/p>\n

Avoid swimming at dawn or dusk when sharks are most active and hunting<\/p>\n

Stay close to shore where you can quickly exit the water if needed<\/p>\n

Always swim with a buddy rather than venturing into the ocean alone<\/p>\n

Remove shiny jewelry or accessories that might resemble fish scales and attract sharks<\/p>\n

Be aware of your surroundings, especially schools of fish jumping out of water, which could indicate predator presence<\/p>\n

Move away from areas with fishing activity, as bait and injured fish can attract sharks<\/p>\n

Maintain visual contact if you spot a shark, backing away slowly while facing it<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"One of the scientists involved in tracking Contender \u2013 the biggest great white shark ever recorded by researchers…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2867,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[3425,3808,3809,159,933,2415,67,132,68,1154,837],"class_list":{"0":"post-2866","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wildlife","8":"tag-animals","9":"tag-atlantic-ocean","10":"tag-great-white-sharks","11":"tag-science","12":"tag-scientists","13":"tag-sharks","14":"tag-united-states","15":"tag-unitedstates","16":"tag-us","17":"tag-us-news","18":"tag-wildlife"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114722415859871729","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2866"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2866\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}