Great white sharks are heading north

WorldEnvironment
25 Aug 2025 • 4:23 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Sightings of great white sharks are increasing in New England and Atlantic Canada, particularly in Maine where they were once rarely spotted.
  • Scientists link this rise to the successful conservation of seal populations, which provide an abundant food source for the sharks.
  • New data indicates that great white sharks are extending their range further north into areas like New Hampshire, Maine, and Nova Scotia, and are spending longer periods in these waters.
  • Despite the increased presence, dangerous encounters between great white sharks and humans remain extremely rare, with Maine recording its first fatal attack in 2020.
  • Coastal communities, including fishermen and beachgoers, are learning to adapt to the growing presence of these sharks, viewing it as a new reality.