Photo: by wildestanimal / Moment / Getty Images
FLORIDA - A 1,437-pound great white shark named Breton has been tracked six times off Florida's east coast as he continues his annual migration to warmer waters.
Breton, a 13-foot, 3-inch great white shark, was detected six times near Daytona Beach last week, according to OCEARCH, a nonprofit organization dedicated to tracking and researching ocean life.
The shark’s movements were tracked as it migrated south from the northern Atlantic Ocean.
The first signal, or "ping," from Breton occurred at 11:37 a.m. on January 9th.
Additional pings followed throughout the day at 2:55 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 5:49 p.m.
Breton was detected again at 9:53 a.m. on January 10th and at 3:10 p.m. on January 11th.
The most recent activity was recorded as a "Z-ping" at 5:59 p.m. on Sunday, indicating that Breton briefly surfaced but not long enough for researchers to pinpoint his exact location.
Breton’s current path shows him moving westward, nearing Daytona Beach—a familiar route he has followed annually since being tagged by OCEARCH on September 12th, 2020, off Scatarie Island in Nova Scotia.
As a male great white shark, Breton’s size is remarkable.
At over 13 feet long and nearly 1,500 pounds, he ranks among the largest of his kind, as males are typically smaller than females, according to the Smithsonian.
Great white sharks are known to inhabit waters worldwide but prefer temperate and subtropical regions with temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees.
Breton’s journey toward Florida’s warmer waters is consistent with his usual migration pattern, though researchers note his migration is occurring later than in previous years.
Over the next month, Breton is expected to continue moving along Florida’s east coast before eventually heading back north as temperatures rise.
In early 2024, Breton traveled as far north as North Carolina by February 5th before reversing course and arriving near Orlando’s coast in March.
Experts anticipate he will return to his summer habitat in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Grand Banks of Newfoundland when northern waters warm up.
Breton is not alone in Florida waters.
On December 11th, Crystal, a 10-foot, 460-pound female great white, was detected southwest of Pensacola, with her latest ping recorded in the northeast Gulf of Mexico on January 3rd.
Additionally, Bob, a 1,300-pound, 13-foot male great white, pinged off Cape Canaveral on January 4th—the furthest south he’s traveled since being tagged in 2021.
Another notable shark, Keji, a juvenile great white measuring over 9 feet and weighing 578 pounds, was tracked near the West Florida Escarpment on January 4th.
Keji’s migration covers areas as far west as Louisiana but often includes time spent near the Florida Keys.
