Meet “Scarface” – The Massive Great White Shark Nearly the Size of a Car

This next clip is a news story from WCVB channel 5 in Boston, Massachusetts. They’re covering a story off the coast of Cape Cod. It’s something newsworthy because what you get is a very close-up look at a couple of different sharks off the coast.

Watch The Entire Video Below To See This Massive Shark!

There is one, in particular, that is of note. This shark’s name is Scarface. You might imagine why it has this name. It does have a scar, a rather large scar, right across its face. Not everyone wants to get really up close and personal with great white sharks but for those who do, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Throughout this video, you get a sneak peek at a tour that most people have to pay over $2,000 for. On this tour, there is a veteran who is part of a program that allows veterans to take part at zero cost. It’s quite a wondrous adventure as they explain their efforts toward shark conservation.

Atlantic White Shark Conservancy runs this private charter. To aid in finding the sharks, a spotter plane flies above the private charter and guides them, using the advantageous aerial view. The woman in the clip explains that they use a hydrophone to determine if another person has already tagged the shark. The video shows where they place tags. It’s right next to the dorsal fin of the shark.

She goes on to introduce Scarface, who was tagged in July 2019. Scarface is a male shark and when other conservationists tagged him, he was a full 12 feet long. The news reporter goes on to explain that the reason it’s a lot easier to spot and tag these sharks is that there has been a growing seal population in the area. Seals are a source of food for sharks so of course, they gravitate to where there is an abundance of nutrition.

The private charter doesn’t have to travel too far. In fact, one of the shark sightings was only 30 feet from shore in shallow water that was only five feet deep. As the video continues, you meet Mark the shark. The woman in the video is ecstatic as she exclaims, “Guys, it does not get better than that!”

Throughout the trip, the occupants of the private charter encounter one shark after another. When asked about the cost of this trip out on the water, the woman explains that it’s because they have a pilot up in the air, a captain for the boat, and a naturalist who is always on board.

Great White Sharks In Cape Cod: Where They Live And How Often They’re Spotted

The great white shark species has extra protection in Massachusetts. In addition to receiving federal protection in 1997, Massachusetts also designated massive sharks as a protected species eight years later. When you combine this with the recent boom in the seal population, it’s easy to see why encounters with great whites are suddenly becoming quite common for Cape Cod residents and visitors.

We can also assign some of the increased sightings of Cape Cod’s great white sharks to advances in shark-tracking technology. According to data from the Boston Globe, an Atlantic white shark conservancy, the number of shark detections has increased yearly since 2013, with the detection rate increasing by 24% in 2021 alone.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Vincent Legrand/Shutterstock.com