Massive 1500 Pound Great White Shark Spotted Swimming at the Mouth of the St. Lawrence River

A giant, nearly 1,500-pound male great white shark has recently been recorded swimming in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 

Breton, a shark tagged through OCEARCH, has recently pinged his location at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. Specifically, this supersized shark has been spending his time swimming off the coast of the Quebec village of Percé. This is only the latest stop for this shark, which was recorded off the coast of North Carolina back in July and Florida in January.

About Breton

Breton is a large adult great white shark frequenting the western Atlantic Ocean. He was first tagged on September 12, 2020. He is named for Cape Breton, where he was tagged by OCEARCH.

This shark measures around 13 feet and 3 inches. At the time of his tagging, he weighed 1,437 pounds.

Interestingly enough, this is not Breton’s first time visiting this area. Instead, he often frequents the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, having been recorded here several times in the past. This includes in September 2022 as well as October 2021.

Species Profile: Great White Sharks

The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is one of the most well-known shark species throughout the world. They are popular for their size and expert hunting prowess. You may also know them as the white shark, white pointer, or great white.

Great whites are found throughout much of the world’s oceans, excluding those in the far north or far south. They frequent both coastal waters and open ocean, and they often migrate. They have been known to measure up to nearly 20 feet long and weigh several thousand pounds as adults. As of now, it is also one of the longest-living cartilaginous fish, with an average lifespan of around 70 years. 

Can Great White Sharks Swim in Freshwater?

You may have heard that some sharks can swim in freshwater. However, that is not the case for the great white shark.

Great white sharks require saltwater to survive. Other shark species, however, such as the bull shark, are what is known as euryhaline fish. This means they are able to migrate between and adapt easily to varying water salinities. Because of this, sharks like the bull shark have been seen swimming up rivers!

Great white sharks lack this ability, however. As a result, while Breton may be swimming near to the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, he won’t be swimming upstream any time soon.