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Atlantic Today
By the People, for the People
10-Foot Great White Shark Cayo Spotted Near North Carolina Beaches
Tracking data shows juvenile female shark swimming close to shore ahead of spring break
Published on Mar. 9, 2026
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Satellite tracking data has revealed that a 10-foot, 689-pound juvenile female great white shark named Cayo was recently swimming close to beaches in North Carolina's Emerald Isle, Onslow Bay, and Huggins Beach areas. This sighting, along with pings from four other white sharks in the Gulf of Mexico, highlights the need for increased awareness and understanding of shark behavior as spring break approaches.
Why it matters
While shark encounters are rare, the presence of large sharks near popular beach areas raises concerns about public safety. Tracking individual sharks like Cayo provides valuable data to help scientists understand shifting shark migration patterns and population dynamics, which can inform beach safety measures and promote coexistence between humans and these apex predators.
The details
Cayo was tagged by OCEARCH on July 29, 2025, in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. She has traveled approximately 202 miles south from her tagging location before heading towards the warmer waters of the Atlantic coast. A previous ping located Cayo off the Outer Banks of North Carolina in February, coinciding with a major nor'easter. The recent concentration of pings for Cayo and four other white sharks in the Gulf of Mexico raises questions about potential shifts in shark migration patterns, which could be driven by factors like warmer water temperatures, changing prey distribution, and successful conservation efforts contributing to increasing shark populations.
- On March 7, 2026, satellite tracking data revealed that Cayo was swimming 'tight to the beach' near Emerald Isle, Onslow Bay, and Huggins Beach.
- Cayo was tagged by OCEARCH on July 29, 2025, in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.
- A previous ping located Cayo off the Outer Banks of North Carolina in February, coinciding with a major nor'easter.
The players
Cayo
A 10-foot, 689-pound juvenile female great white shark that was tagged by OCEARCH in July 2025 in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.
OCEARCH
An American non-profit organization that conducts research on large marine species, including great white sharks, and provides real-time tracking data through its Global Shark Tracker app.
What’s next
The OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker app allows the public to follow the movements of tagged sharks in real-time, which is crucial for both research and public safety. By providing insights into shark behavior, OCEARCH and other organizations can help inform beach safety measures and promote coexistence between humans and these apex predators.
The takeaway
The presence of large sharks like Cayo near popular beach areas highlights the importance of ongoing monitoring and research to understand shifting shark migration patterns and population dynamics. This information can help inform public safety measures and promote coexistence between humans and these apex predators as beach visitation increases during spring break and other peak seasons.
