Top Three Iconic OCEARCH Sharks
July is shark season, and all month long OCEARCH is celebrating the extraordinary sharks tracked on the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker™ app. In this week’s Top Sharks Spotlight Series we highlight three iconic white sharks that have shaped shark science, captured public attention, and advanced shark conservation. Read their stories, track their migrations on the free OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker™ app, and learn how to get involved in marine research and ocean stewardship.
WHITE SHARK MARY LEE
QUICK IDENTIFICATION: Mature female white shark — 16 feet, 2,639 pounds. Tagged on September 16th, 2012 off Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
WHY SHE IS ICONIC: Mary Lee’s tagging and movements captured global attention and helped humanize white sharks for millions, turning public curiosity into support for shark science and conservation.
SCIENTIFIC VALUE: Mary Lee provided unprecedented insights into white shark migration, seasonal coastal habitat use, and behavior around Cape Cod, informing research priorities and community outreach about apex predator ecology and marine conservation.
TRACKING STATUS AND LEGACY: Although her tag has been silent for years, Mary Lee’s legacy endures in long-term datasets, educational campaigns, and increased public awareness.
Track Mary Lee on the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker and explore related resources about white shark migration and shark tagging.
WHITE SHARK NUKUMI
QUICK IDENTIFICATION: Mature female great white shark — 17 feet 2inches, 3,541 pounds. Tagged on October 1st, 2020 off Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
WHY SHE IS ICONIC: Nicknamed the “Matriarch of the Sea,” Nukumi was likely around fifty years old at tagging and is the largest female white shark OCEARCH has tagged in the Western North Atlantic, representing longevity and the importance of protecting mature breeding individuals.
SCIENTIFIC VALUE: Nukumi’s size and maturity provide rare data on long-lived female life history, habitat preferences, and how matriarchal movements affect population dynamics and conservation planning.
TRACKING STATUS: Follow Nukumi’s historic track on the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker™, access classroom resources on shark life history, and support research that protects elder sharks.
WHITE SHARK CONTENDER
QUICK IDENTIFICATION: Mature male great white shark — 13 feet 9 inches, 1,653 pounds. Tagged January 17th, 2025 offshore the Florida and Georgia border.
WHY HE IS ICONIC: Contender is the largest male white shark OCEARCH has tagged in the Western North Atlantic, a striking example of mature male physiology and behavior.
SCIENTIFIC VALUE: As an estimated 30 year-old mature male, Contender supplies critical data on male migration routes, breeding-range behavior, and size and age class comparisons that help fill knowledge gaps in white shark population structure.
TRACKING STATUS: Track Contender on the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker™ app, share his profile to engage local communities, and sign up for migration alerts to follow his next movements.
GET INVOLVED— TRACK, LEARN, & PROTECT
Follow these sharks and dozens more on the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker™ app to monitor real-time shark tracking, migration patterns, and conservation updates. Explore OCEARCH educational materials, share shark tracking maps with your community, and consider supporting shark tagging and marine research to help protect white sharks and ocean ecosystems.
Want the chance to meet a shark like Mary Lee, Nukumi, or Contender? Enter our Meet a Shark Sweepstakes for a once-in-a-lifetime experience that helps protect sharks and our oceans. You may enter multiple times to increase your chances of winning!
