A massive great white shark was recently spotted off the coast of Mississippi after initially being detected near Alabama’s Gulf Shores in January. The 12-foot, nearly 1,000-pound female shark, named “Ernst,” has been making an unusual coastal migration journey.
Ernst was tagged by OCEARCH in Nova Scotia in October 2025 and has since traveled thousands of miles along the US East Coast, reaching as far as the Gulf of America off the coast of Louisiana. Her movement towards the west is considered rare for great white sharks in the region.
According to Chris Fischer, founder of OCEARCH, Ernst’s close proximity to the shore indicates a rich marine life environment in the area. Great white sharks are known to be selective about their travel destinations, usually preferring areas with abundant marine life.
Ernst’s recent ping off the Mississippi coast on Jan. 30 is being closely monitored by researchers, who track her movements using satellite tags. The organization emphasizes the importance of understanding shark behavior for the conservation of both island life and ocean research.
Aside from Ernst, OCEARCH also tracks other great white sharks across the Atlantic and Gulf of America using similar technology. One notable example is Contender, the largest recorded male great white shark in the Atlantic, who returned to Florida waters in January 2026 after a year-long journey.
Researchers believe Contender’s movement back to warmer coastal waters could be related to mating activity among great white sharks, showcasing the fascinating behavior of these apex predators.
