A large great white shark has been seen navigating waters near Alabama and, more recently, off the coast of Mississippi.
This remarkable creature, a 12-foot-long female weighing around 1,000 pounds, is known as Ernst. She was detected by satellite tags near Gulf Shores, Alabama, around mid-January.
Researchers reported to a news agency that just weeks prior, this was one of the farthest recorded sightings of great white sharks in the Gulf—making her trip particularly unusual.
The ping from the satellite pinpointed her location near the Chandelier Islands, a group of barrier islands in the Gulf off Louisiana’s coast.
It’s noteworthy, they said, that the shark ventured so close to shore, a behavior not typically associated with great whites in this area.
Ernst was tagged by the U.S.-based ocean research group OCEARCH in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, back in October 2025.
After being tagged, she embarked on an extensive coastal journey, traveling thousands of miles down the U.S. East Coast from Canada.
“She went directly from Nova Scotia to lower Maine, continued down the coast, rounded Miami and the Florida Keys, and crossed over the Florida Panhandle,” detailed Chris Fisher, the founder and leader of OCEARCH.
Fisher noted that her westward movement is not typical for great whites in the Gulf.
“She actually wandered into one of the more remote locations,” he said. “For most sharks, this is quite an extended journey.”
Great white sharks are known to be particular about their movements, often navigating through waters abundant with marine life.
Fisher pointed out that it’s rare to see a shark so close to the beach, suggesting a healthy ecosystem in the area. “It’s a positive indicator for local biodiversity,” he remarked.
As of February 1, Ernst’s tracking data indicates she was detected south of Horn Island off Mississippi’s coast early on January 30.
(The researchers can track her location whenever her dorsal fin tag comes above the water surface.)
According to their website, the organization describes Ernst’s journey as one that embodies connection, resilience, and teamwork—traits that help further both island and ocean research.
OCEARCH employs satellite technology to monitor other great white sharks in the Atlantic and Gulf regions.
In related news, a study highlighted that Contender, the largest male great white ever recorded in the Atlantic, returned to Florida waters in January 2026, a year post-tagging. This 14-foot, 1,700-pound shark explored up north to the Gulf of St. Lawrence before resurfacing in warmer coastal waters, a move researchers think might be linked to mating activities.
