In part two of our five-part interview series with Megan Winton of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, we talk about their size.
One of the most famous great white sharks was caught off the coast of Prince Edward Island in Canada in 1983. This female shark measured an astonishing 20 feet (6.1 meters) in length. Known for its massive size, this particular shark provided valuable data for researchers studying the species’ growth patterns and life cycle.
Another noteworthy catch occurred in 1945 at Cojimar, a fishing village in Cuba. The shark, known locally as “El Monstruo de Cojimar,” was reportedly 21 feet (6.4 meters) long, though some debate exists about the accuracy of this measurement. Regardless, it remains one of the most talked-about catches in shark fishing history.
In South Australia, a great white shark nicknamed “Shark Alpha” was caught in the 1980s. It measured over 18 feet (5.5 meters) and weighed several tons. The capture of Shark Alpha helped to kick-start conservation efforts in the region, leading to greater awareness and protection measures for great white sharks. and helped inspire catch-and-release practices for white sharks caught incidentally.
You Can Help Us
We are constantly looking for anecdotes of great white sharks whether it is reports from the Gulf of Mexico, old newspaper clippings or stories passed down through generrations.
We are also looking for donations of great white shark merchandise for the kids we work with in our Wild Wishes® program that grants wildlife encounters for children facing special challenges.
If you have any cool merch ranging from cool shark toys to books and everything in between we would love to get some to help kids in our program learn more about sharks.
You can email chester@chestermoore.com to reach me.
Chester Moore
Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms
@thechestermoore on Instagram
Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook
Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.
Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors and Higher Calling Wildlife podcasts on all major podcasting platforms.
Leave a Reply