Breton, a 1,400-pound great white, has decided to break from the pack and not follow traditional migratory patterns.
Most great white sharks tracked along the East Coast head north in the summer, following cooler waters and seasonal food sources. But Breton, the massive adult great white shark, has been lingering off Florida in waters far warmer than experts usually expect for the species, and scientists are taking notice.
What's happening?
OCEARCH, a global nonprofit that studies and helps protect sharks, whales, sea turtles, and other ocean animals, has followed Breton since Sept. 2020. Researchers first tagged the great white near Scatarie Island, Nova Scotia, when he weighed more than 1,400 pounds.
Compared with the paths of many other tracked sharks, his movements this season stand out.
On the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker, as the New York Post reported, most sharks are currently clustered much farther north, near Cape Cod and in Atlantic Canada.
Breton, by contrast, has recently been pinging off Florida's east coast, an area where relatively few white sharks spend this part of the season.
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One recent signal came from water with an 87-degree sea surface temperature, especially warm conditions for the species.
Surface temperature, however, is only part of the picture, according to OCEARCH Senior Data Scientist John Tyminski.
"Warm surface water doesn't necessarily mean unsuitable habitat," Tyminski said. "Breton likely has access to much cooler water at depth."
Why does it matter?
When a top ocean predator departs from expected migration patterns, researchers have a chance to learn more about how marine animals behave in the wild.
Great white sharks often follow a predictable seasonal route, but Breton's movements suggest things may be much more complex.
Shark movements can reflect ocean conditions, including shifting temperatures, prey availability, and wider changes across marine ecosystems.
If a shark is spending time in an unusual region, it may signal that food sources or environmental conditions there warrant closer attention.
What's being done?
OCEARCH is continuing to monitor Breton through satellite tagging, which allows scientists to study migration habits and behavior from afar.
Tyminski said great whites like Breton can get relief from hot surface layers by diving deep, sometimes more than 600 feet down, where the water is much cooler, meaning warmer regions may still work for Breton if he can descend to the cooler conditions he needs.
Researchers do not yet know exactly why Breton is heading south, but one leading idea is that he could be following pelagic fish that travel in large schools off Florida's coast.
Continued tracking may help confirm whether food availability is driving his unusual route.
For members of the public, one of the easiest ways to keep up is through the free OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker app, which allows users to follow Breton along with 400-plus other ocean animals.
As Tyminski put it, "Sharks don't always follow the rulebook. Breton's unexpected journey reminds us that the factors driving white shark movements are complex, and we're still uncovering the secrets behind these remarkable migrations."
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