Q: What is the Deep Blue Shark?
A: The white shark known as Deep Blue is the biggest great white shark recorded to date by scientists and marine biologists studying the species.
In November of 2013, a group of scientists led by Hoyos Padilla studying great white sharks captured something truly amazing on film. They managed to capture footage of the largest great white shark ever recorded. This massive creature was dubbed Deep Blue, and measuring in at over 20 feet long, she is a sight to behold. Scientists are still trying to figure out Deep Blue’s true size and weight, but it is estimated that she could weigh in at over 5,500 pounds! It is also estimated that she is at least 50 years old. Who is Deep Blue, and what secrets does she hold?
Where was Deep Blue Found first?
Deep Blue, a female great white shark, was first spotted off the coast of Guadalupe Island, which is located in Mexico. This area is known for being a hotspot for great white sharks, and Deep Blue was definitely not the only one in the area. In fact, there have been numerous reports of large great white sharks in the area over the years.
Deep Blue did not rise to fame until he posted a video on Facebook of her swimming next to some cage divers. The video showed off her true size and scale – a behemoth! She was also featured on Shark Week in 2014 and her popularity grew even more.
How big is the Deep Blue shark?
Deep Blue’s true size and weight are still unknown, but scientists believe that she could weigh in at over 5,500 pounds! This would make her the largest great white shark ever recorded. Scientists are still trying to determine Deep Blue’s exact size and weight
How long is Deep Blue? She is estimated to be 20 feet long and 8 feet in diameter (from belly to back in height). Truly a scary presence. Her enormous girth may have been due to the fact that she was pregnant at the time of observation – or she just had a very large meal.
How old is Deep Blue?
Deep Blue is estimated to be at least 50 years old. This makes her one of the oldest great white sharks ever recorded. Deep Blue’s exact age is still unknown, but scientists believe that she may be even older than 50 years! The life expectancy for great white sharks is upwards of 60-70 years.
Who swam with Deep Blue?
In 2019 shark conservationist Ocean Ramsey released footage of herself swimming alongside Deep Blue (footage in the YouTube video above). This brought both awe from the public, and criticism from conservationists who believe sharks should be left alone and that touching a shark can stress it and cause agitation around humans.
This sighting happened off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. Once Deep Blue showed up, the divers eagerly, fearlessly, and perhaps recklessly entered the water.
All the encounters with Deep Blue have shown her to be a relatively calm and placid shark, even allowing Padilla and Ramsey to touch her fins. She never showed aggressive behavior towards the divers or the boats, but some theorize that her calm demeanor was due to the fact that she had recently eaten.
Is Deep Blue the largest great white shark…ever?
It’s truly hard to know this for sure. One scientist – Doc Domeier – is skeptical. Because Deep Blue has not been pulled ashore and scientifically measured or weighed, her size is truly only an estimate. He even claims that he has seen great whites that could exceed Deep Blue in size – in the Farallone Islands and Pt. Conception – both in California. He also claims to have documented Deep Blue in 1999 with photos from his friend Steve Drogin.
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Are great whites the largest shark species ever?
No, great whites are not the largest shark species ever. The whale shark is actually the largest shark species, and they can grow to be over 60 feet long! Deep Blue is the largest great white shark ever recorded, but she is still smaller than the whale shark.
Where is Deep Blue Now? Deep Blue Shark Tracking
Unfortunately Deep Blue does not have a tag or tracker. However, she is often spotted in her usual spots year after year. You can follow other great white sharks via the Ocearch shark tracker website.
Want to learn more about great white sharks? Check out The Devil’s Teeth by Susan Casey.
Journalist Susan Casey joins a strange band of surfer-scientists on a remote island off the California coast for some close encounters with the jaws of the world’s most mysterious and fearsome predators in the New York Times bestseller, The Devil’s Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America’s Great White Sharks.
