As college students flock to Florida’s sandy beaches, researchers are tracking a record-breaking apex predator also heading south for the holiday. 

Contender, a 1,653-pound male great white shark measuring 13 feet, 9 inches, is being tracked off the coast of Florida, according to OCEARCH. As of Thursday morning, Contender was pinged just a few miles from Sebastian and is continuing south. 

“Contender is a significant addition to ongoing research efforts in the western North Atlantic to understand the reproductive cycle and timing of breeding in adult white sharks, particularly in the overwintering period,” Dr. Harley Newton, OCEARCH chief scientist and veterinarian, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

Dold is named in honor of Dr. Christopher Dold of SeaWorld, a key figure in ocean conservation, according to OCEARCH. (OCEARCH)

As the massive marine animals close in on Florida’s spring break destinations, experts stress that shark attacks are tracking much lower than average across the world. 

Last year, there were only 47 reports of unprovoked shark bites and seven confirmed fatalities worldwide, according to data released by the Florida Museum of Natural History. Out of 28 bites reported within the U.S. in 2024, only one was fatal. 

“If you’ve ever been in the ocean, a shark has likely encountered you — you just didn’t know it,” Chapple told Fox News Digital. “If sharks wanted to eat people, there would be a whole lot less surfers in the water. We’re just not on their menu.”

While thousands of college students are expected to hit the sands along Florida’s coastline in the coming weeks to celebrate spring break, Contender and Dold are not expected to put a damper on their plans as both sharks have stayed roughly 40 miles from the beaches. 

To keep safe, researchers suggest swimmers should avoid wearing shiny jewelry, refrain from swimming at dawn or dusk and avoid areas where fishermen are present. 

“Shark encounters are incredibly rare,” Chapple said. “You’re much more likely to die from a falling coconut or taking a selfie than a shark attack on your tropical vacation.”