Florida

Colossal white shark tagged by OCEARCH, frequent Florida visitor, pings in rare location

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

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Colossal white shark tagged by OCEARCH, frequent Florida visitor, pings in rare location

A great white shark named Contender is the largest male ever tagged by the research group OCEARCH.
Contender was tagged off the Georgia-Florida border and has since traveled over 3,200 miles.
The shark recently pinged in a rare location in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada.
OCEARCH is a nonprofit organization that tags and tracks sharks to gather data for scientific research.

The largest male great white shark ever tagged and released by the nonprofit research group OCEARCH is making waves again, this time with a rare ping location.

The 13-foot, 9-inch, 1,653-pound shark, nicknamed Contender, was tagged in the waters off the Florida-Georgia border in January 2025.

Shortly after, Contender toured the east coast of Florida.

The massive animal first surfaced in Sunshine State waters on Jan. 26, 2025, pinging three times off the Fernandina Beach coast. Contender then zig-zagged between Amelia Island and Jacksonville Beach before swimming south to the waters off St. Augustine on Feb. 6, Volusia County on Feb. 8 and 9, and Brevard County waters on Feb. 10.

Contender then headed north, pinging off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in July — staying “silent” (or no pings) until Sept. 29.

That’s when the shark pinged about 857 miles north, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, northeast of Anticosta Island, Canada, a region OCEARCH-tagged sharks rarely ping from, the group’s senior data scientist John Tyminski said in an Instagram video.

“Big shark, big journey,” Tyminski said.

Tyminski said the food supply – harbor and gray seals, along with abundant schooling fish, such as mackerel and herring – is what’s most likely drawing Contender into the 50-degree waters.

Here’s what to know about Contender, OCEARCH and great white sharks:

Contender is the biggest male great white shark tagged by OCEARCH

Contender measured 13 feet, 9 inches and weighed 1,653 pounds at the time of tagging, making it the largest male white shark ever tagged by OCEARCH.

“Contender is the largest male white shark the OCEARCH team has sampled, tagged, released and studied to date in the NW Atlantic white shark population! So he’s pretty special,” Nicole Ralson, OCEARCH chief marketing officer, said in an email.

Massive great white shark caught and tagged off Florida-Georgia coast

Contender is a 1,653-pound great white shark, the largest male tagged and released by OCEARCH scientists. He was tagged off the Florida-Georgia coast.

What do we know about OCEARCH great white shark Contender, who has surfaced several times in Florida?

Contender, an adult male white shark, was tagged by OCEARCH off the Georgia-Florida coast on Jan. 17, 2025.

“Meet Contender, the ultimate ocean warrior! This powerful white shark was tagged on January 17, 2025, off the FL/GA coast, about 45 miles offshore,” the shark’s tracker page reads. “Contender is a mature male now contributing to OCEARCH’s mission of shark research and ocean conservation.”

According to his tracker, Contender has traveled 3,210 miles since being tagged.

Contender was reportedly named for Contender Boats, a longtime OCEARCH partner.

What is OCEARCH? What does research group do for great white sharks?

OCEARCH is a nonprofit research organization studying the ocean’s giants.

The group studies keystone species, including great white sharks, essential for the health of the oceans.

“At OCEARCH, we’re on a mission to solve the Global White Shark Puzzle. There are nine populations of white sharks across the globe and OCEARCH’s goal is to assist regional scientists to better understand the life of the white shark in each of these populations,” the group’s website states.

Jacksonville University has been the academic home for OCEARCH for nearly a decade and the planned new location for the group’s new headquarters facility is in Mayport, Florida.

How many great white sharks are there?

There’s no absolute data on the global population of white sharks and estimates vary widely – from 3,000 to over 10,000.

According to NOAA Fisheries:

The stock status for white shark populations in U.S. waters is unknown and no stock assessments have been completed. No stock assessments are currently planned in the Atlantic.
Research by NOAA Fisheries scientists indicates that abundance trends have been increasing in the northwest Atlantic since regulations protecting them were first implemented in the 1990s.
According to a NOAA Fisheries status review and recent research, the northeastern Pacific white shark population appears to be increasing and is not at risk of becoming endangered in U.S. waters.

What do great white sharks eat?

According to NOAA Fisheries, white sharks have a diverse and opportunistic diet of fish, invertebrates and marine mammals.

Juvenile white sharks mainly eat bottom fish, smaller sharks and rays, and schooling fish and squids.

Larger white sharks often gather around seal and sea lion colonies to feed and also occasionally scavenge dead whales.

Great white sharks in Florida: Why are they here? What to know

North Atlantic great white sharks spend winters off the southeast U.S., from South Carolina to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. Here’s why.

Great white shark facts

Weight: Up to 4,500 pounds
Length: About 4 feet (at birth) and up to 21 feet (adult)
Lifespan: 70 years or more
Threats: Bycatch, Habitat Impacts, Overfishing. According to NOAA Fisheries, the white shark is a prohibited species (no retention allowed) in all U.S. waters and fisheries. There are no commercial fisheries for white sharks, but they are occasionally caught as bycatch.
Region: Alaska, New England/Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Islands, Southeast, West Coast
Teeth: Great white sharks have 300 teeth but don’t chew their food. Instead, they rip it into pieces and swallow it whole. The sharks have an endless supply of teeth, with lost teeth regenerating infinitely.
Smell: According to OCEARCH, great white sharks can sniff out a single drop of blood in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
Sight: Great white sharks can see well in low light, enabling them to hunt at dawn, dusk, or in deep waters, OCEARCH reported.
Additionally, white sharks can detect weak electrical signals emitted by living creatures, even under sand. They also identify vibration changes in the water, allowing them to find prey by sensing movement.

OCEARCH shark tracker: Follow great white sharks in Florida, beyond

North Atlantic great white sharks migrate as far south as Florida and the Gulf in winter, searching for warmer waters and more food sources.

According to the group’s website, OCEARCH is “a global nonprofit organization conducting unprecedented research on our oceans’ giants in order to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean.”

OCEARCH has tagged 140 white sharks, many of them along the Eastern Seaboard and Nova Scotia.

You can follow their journeys on the OCEARCH shark tracker website or by downloading the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker app.

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Florida

Smoke starting to appear between Florida and USC’s Lincoln Riley

Published

16 hours ago

November 7, 2025

Press Room

Smoke starting to appear between Florida and USC’s Lincoln Riley

The Florida Gators coaching search could take a wild turn in November.

More News: Brian Kelly Made His Intentions Clear in Obtained LSU Firing Email

The Gators fired head coach Billy Napier on Oct. 19 after starting the season 3-4. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin appears to be the top candidate for Florida, but it’s unclear if Kiffin has any intentions of leaving the Rebels amid a No. 6 spot in the first College Football Playoff ranking.

On Wednesday, Josh Pate set off a firestorm of speculation about USC head coach Lincoln Riley. During Wednesday’s episode of “Bussin With The Boys” podcast, Pate suggested Riley could be on the move.

“Let’s just keep an eye on Lincoln Riley at USC,” Pate said.

More News: LSU Linked to Ultimate Anti-Brian Kelly Candidate

Keith Niebuhr of On3 invited more speculation on Riley’s future with the Trojans. He put Riley on the hot board of candidates for the Gators.

Niebuhr reported that there isn’t “much chatter” about Riley and Florida (implying that there is some), but that more smoke about the USC head coach is likely to come.

“Because things look wide open (at least on the surface) after Kiffin, it’s worth adding Riley’s name to this list even though there has not yet been much chatter about him and the Gators,” Niebuhr wrote. “There has been some chatter, though unverified, that Riley might be interested in working back in his home state of Texas.

“It’s not yet known on our part if UF has any interest.”

Riley would not owe USC any money if he wanted a fresh start with a new program before his 10-year, $110 million contract is up at the end of the 2031 season.

Riley is 32-16 during his four seasons with the Trojans. Southern Cal is 6-2 this season before playing at home on Saturday against Northwestern.

Riley has not been able to replicate the same success at USC that he had at Oklahoma, when he went 55-10 in five seasons and won four Big 12 championships and made three CFP appearances.

Riley could figure he has a better chance of returning to the CFP with Florida than staying the course at USC.

For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.

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Florida

High school football playoff brackets released; see where Central Florida schools are

Published

1 day ago

November 6, 2025

Press Room

High school football playoff brackets released; see where Central Florida schools are

High school football playoff brackets were revealed Thursday, and more than 40 high schools across Central Florida have a shot at a state title. Games start next Friday night, Nov. 14.

DeLand (7A), Edgewater (5A), Jones (4A), and Bishop Moore (3A) earned No. 1 seeds in the respective classes.

Class 1A will be decided on Monday, after the FHSAA granted a temporary injunction to allow The First Academy to play in the playoffs. The school was banned from this year’s playoffs after the FHSAA ruled the school violated recruiting rules and allowed players to practice with the team before they were enrolled.

Below is a breakdown of each bracket where Central Florida schools are playing, which are underlined. Rankings are respective to each region:

Class 7A, Region 1

No. 8 Creekside at No. 1 DeLand

No. 5 Winter Park at No. 4 Boone

No. 7 Hagerty at No. 2 Lake Mary

No. 6 Seminole at No. 3 Spruce Creek

Class 7A, Region 2

No. 8 Ridge Community at No. 1 Venice

No. 5 Plant City at No. 4 West Orange

No. 7 Winter Haven at No. 2 Riverview Sarasota

No. 6 Ocoee at No. 3 Sumner

Class 7A, Region 3

No. 8 East Ridge at No. 1 Vero Beach

No. 5 Lake Nona at No. 4 St. Cloud

No. 7 Dr. Phillips at No. 2 Jupiter

Class 6A, Region 1

No. 8 Oviedo at No. 1 Buchholz

No. 6 Evans at No. 3 Pace

Class 6A, Region 2

No. 8 Melbourne at No. 1 Armwood

No. 5 Riverview at No. 4 Viera

No. 7 Plant at No. 2 South Lake

No. 6 Durant at No. 3 Osceola

Class 5A, Region 1

No. 7 Middleburg at No. 2 Mainland

Class 5A, Region 2

No. 8 Lake Gibson at No. 1 Edgewater

No. 7 Wesley Chapel at No. 2 Lakeland

No. 6 Winter Springs at No. 3 Gaither

Class 5A, Region 4

No. 8 Heritage at No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas

Class 4A, Region 2

No. 8 Deltona at No. 1 Jones

No. 5 Vanguard at No. 4 Auburndale

No. 7 Rockledge at No. 2 Zephyrhills

No. 6 New Smyrna Beach at No. 3 Lake Wales

Class 3A, Region 2

No. 8 Hernando at No. 1 Bishop Moore

No. 5 South Sumter at No. 4 Eastside

No. 7 Tavares at No. 2 Eau Gallie

No. 6 Titusville at No. 3 Merritt Island

Class 3A, Region 3

No. 8 Mulberry at No. 1 Booker

Class 2A, Region 2

No. 5 Berkley Prep at No. 4 The Villages Charter

No. 6 Newberry at No. 3 Cocoa

Class 1A, Region 1

No. 8 Trinity Catholic at No. 1 University Christian

Class 1A, Region 2

Region bracket delayed due to The First Academy injunction

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Florida Lottery Powerball, Lotto, Cash4Life results for Nov. 5, 2025

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2025

Press Room

Florida Lottery Powerball, Lotto, Cash4Life results for Nov. 5, 2025

The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots. Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025

Winning Powerball numbers from Nov. 5 drawing

09-17-29-61-66, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 5

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Nov. 5 drawing

07-10-18-21-61, Powerball: 11

Winning Florida Lotto numbers from Nov. 5 drawing

05-16-25-43-44-49

Check Florida Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto Double Play numbers from Nov. 5 drawing

05-13-29-37-46-52

Check Lotto Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Nov. 5 drawing

09-13-26-47-53, Cash Ball: 03

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Nov. 5 drawing

Midday: 14-19-26-31-33

Evening: 05-10-18-19-24

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Nov. 5 drawing

Morning: 14

Matinee: 02

Afternoon: 12

Evening: 05

Late Night: 09

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 2 numbers from Nov. 5 drawing

Midday: 1-2, FB: 3

Evening: 6-5, FB: 1

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Nov. 5 drawing

Midday: 9-8-6, FB: 3

Evening: 0-8-3, FB: 1

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Nov. 5 drawing

Midday: 6-1-3-7, FB: 3

Evening: 8-2-0-5, FB: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Nov. 5 drawing

Midday: 4-7-2-2-2, FB: 3

Evening: 3-9-4-4-2, FB: 1

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.

You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.

Florida law requires public disclosure of winners

If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:

Full name
City of residence
Game won
Date won
Amount won
Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.

When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.

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