A huge great white was spotted not far from a popular beach.

22:58, Sat, Mar 21, 2026 Updated: 23:00, Sat, Mar 21, 2026

Great White Shark

The great white is named after famous British animal expert Dr Jane Goodall (Image: OCEARCH)

A massive great white shark longer than the height of a double-decker bus and weighing nearly 1,400lbs has been spotted in the depths of a popular holiday hotspot loved by Brits. Researchers from the environmental tracking group OCEARCH recorded the apex predator just nine miles off the coast off Port Richey, Florida, on March 17

Florida is the most popular US state for UK tourists, attracting around 1.4 million British visitors every year and Port Richey is just 40 miles north of the much-visited city of Tampa. The great white shark tracked by OCEARCH has been named in honour of British naturalist and environmental campaigner Dr Jane Goodall.

Goodall the shark is an adult female and she was last sighted more than 4,700 miles away in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, in September last year. Her exact measurements are 1,393 lbs and 13'1" in length. Female great whites typically grow larger than males and can reach sizes up to 16 foot long.

Goodall

Goodall has travelled an incredible distance along the US eastern seaboard (Image: OCEARCH)

OCEARCH said Goodall was "Like her namesake, Goodall the shark will play an important role in advancing science".

Since September Goodall has followed a route taken by most sharks off the eastern coast of the United States. The predators tend to head south during the winter to patrol the warmer waters around the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Fox News reports Goodall is part of the Atlantic Canada collaborative research that will help improve knowledge on the movement and behaviour of white sharks in the vital region.

Goodall the great white

Goodall is a very large shark (Image: OCEARCH)

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OCEARCH highlighted that Goodall represents a long-standing commitment to scientific research and conservation, serving as a symbol of how science can advance understanding and promote environmental protection.

Great white sharks are apex predators feeding on whales, seals, fish and turtles. It's reported the largest great white ever reliably measured was a 5.94 m (19.5 ft) specimen reported from Ledge Point, Western Australia in 1987.