One of the world’s largest known great white sharks made a surprise appearance in Hawaii earlier this week. Known as “Deep Blue,” the gargantuan, 20-foot-long female shark appeared off of the island of Oahu’s North Shore, apparently drawn there by the carcass of a sperm whale.
Typically, great whites don’t venture as far north as Hawaii, as they prefer colder water. This shark was tentatively identified by researcher Ocean Ramsey—who was on hand to witness and dive with the shark—as the same one she had previously encountered diving off the Guadalupe Islands in Mexico. And, by Ramsey’s estimates, Deep Blue wasn’t alone—her extra wide girth meant that the shark was probably pregnant.
“I’m without words; it’s heartwarming; she’s probably the most gentle great white I’ve ever seen. Big pregnant females are actually the safest ones to be with, the biggest oldest ones, because they’ve seen it all — including us,” Ramsey said. “That’s why I kind of call her, like, a grandma shark.”
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