The Fall Migration of the White Shark
As autumn sets in, white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) of the Northwest Atlantic begin a fascinating seasonal migration southward from their summer feeding grounds off the coasts of Atlantic Canada and the area around Cape Cod, New England. During the warmer months, these apex predators take advantage of the abundant seal populations and rich prey resources found in these areas. However, as temperatures drop and food sources dwindle, white sharks are triggered by a combination of decreasing water temperatures and changes in daylight hours, prompting their southward migration.
The sharks primarily make their way down the eastern coast of the United States, with many heading towards the warmer waters off the southeastern U.S., particularly around the Carolinas, Georgia, and northeast Florida where they spend part of the winter. A recent study even revealed that white sharks can spend time near the Bahamas – in particular, along the western edge of the Tongue of the Ocean, a deep-water basin off Central Andros Island. Satellite tagging by OCEARCH has shown that a significant proportion of white sharks will venture into the Gulf of Mexico, where the warm waters provide them with comfortable conditions during the colder months. While in these regions, white sharks likely switch from their summer diet of seals to a broader range of prey, including fish and smaller marine animals that thrive in these subtropical waters.
The exact triggers for this migration remain a subject of study, but scientists believe that environmental cues like water temperature, photoperiod, and prey availability play significant roles. The sharks’ incredible ability to travel long distances allows them to navigate vast ocean spaces efficiently, moving between productive feeding grounds and warmer winter refuges. The movement of these iconic predators provides crucial insights into their behavior, and researchers, including those at OCEARCH, continue to track them using satellite tags to uncover more details about their annual migrations and habits.
If you’re fascinated by this incredible migration, you’re in luck! You can track white sharks like those migrating south with the help of OCEARCH’s Global Shark Tracker. This interactive tool lets you follow individual sharks in real-time as they journey along the coast. Whether you’re an ocean enthusiast or an aspiring citizen scientist, the Tracker allows you to stay connected to these ocean giants, as well as other marine animals like sea turtles. Get involved in shark conservation and witness their amazing migrations by visiting the Global Shark Tracker and being part of this extraordinary adventure!
Spatio-temporal variability in White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) movement ecology during residency and migration phases in the Western North Atlantic (Franks et al. 2021)
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.744202/pdf
Overwinter habitat use of young-of-the-year white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) off the eastern United States (James et al. 2022)
https://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-content/fish-bull/120_james.pdf
First evidence of white sharks, Carcharodon carcharias, in the tongue of the ocean, central Bahamas (Guttridge et al. 2024)
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1451808/full
https://news.fiu.edu/2024/great-white-sharks-secretly-roam-through-bahamas
