‘Monster’ ancient great white shark caught by researchers

Scientists have caught a massive, 50-year-old great white shark more than 5.2 metres long and weighing more than 1600kg.

Scientists have caught a massive, ancient great white shark more than 5.2 metres long and weighing more than 1600kg.

Researchers from OCEARCH working in waters off the coast off Nova Scotia in Canada caught the great white on Saturday, and named her Nukumi. The organisation said on Twitter the shark was an “ancient mature female white shark or ‘Queen of the Ocean’”.

“We named her ‘Nukumi’, pronounced noo-goo-mee, for the legendary wise old grandmother figure of the Native American Mi’kmaq people,” OCEARCH wrote on Facebook on Saturday.

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Nukumi was caught and tagged in waters off the coast of Nova Scotia. Picture: Chris Ross / Ocearch

Nukumi as she’s tagged by researchers. Picture: Ocearch

Nukumi is believed to be 50 years old. Picture: Ocearch

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Nukumi was one of eight great white sharks tagged and released during OCEARCH’s Expedition Nova Scotia. At 5.24 metres and 1606kg she was the largest of the sharks captured, according to a report from CNN.

“With the new data we’ve collected, this matriarch will share her #wisdom with us for years to come,” OCEARCH said.

“She will continue to help balance fish stocks in the surrounding waters, and we look forward to learning more from this wise guardian of our ocean’s eco-system.”

The group also shared a video of the great white being tagged, before she swam away from a submersible platform.

Posts from the group went viral online, with shark fans marvelling at her size and age.

“She is a monster, can’t wait to see where her travels take her,” one woman wrote.

“Wow, growing up and swimming off the coast of Cape Breton I never could have imagined these great white sharks came up this far,” another said.

“It’s amazing to see where they’re being tagged and tracked.”