There are lots of great white sharks in the Atlantic Ocean.

As the seasons start to change, great whites will begin their long migration north for the summer, and many of their destinations include the waters off the coast of New York and New England. Here, experts say, the sharks will "forage, bulk up and put on weight" during the warmer months before winter eventually arrives again.

See Also: Where Does New York State Rank For Shark Attacks?

One juvenile great white seems to have already begun that journey.

Juvenile Great White Pings Off Coast of Long Island 

The researchers from OCEARCH say that a 9 foot 6 inch, 434-pound male shark pinged off the coast of Bay Shore Tuesday morning, right after 10:30. New England Aquarium says that sharks are tagged with satellite tags, which send a signal, or "ping", to a satellite every time they near the surface.

OCEARCH says the young shark's name is Simon, as he was first tagged in December 2022 near St. Simon's Island off the coast of Georgia.

What Are Your Chances of Being Bitten By a Shark Near New York?

According to Florida Museum, 2022 was an unpredictable year for shark attacks off the Long Island coast, as a record eight bites were reported (six confirmed). Before those attacks, New York had only 12 reported unprovoked bites in its recorded history.

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Before 2022, the last shark attacks reported in New York coincidentally came on the same day in July 2018. The attacks happened off Atlantique Beach and Sailors Haven, respectively. Staten Island Live says both attacks were from sand tiger sharks.

Experts say that young sand tiger sharks have taken up residence in Great South Bay, between Long Island and Fire Island in recent years, as they've been drawn in closer to the coast by baitfish.

Sharks of New York

There are several species of shark in the waters around New York.
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Odds of Dying By Shark Bite 

What are your chances of being fatally bitten by a shark? Very slim.

According to the International Shark Attack File, your odds of being killed by a shark are 1 in 3,748,067. You have a better chance of being in a motor vehicle accident or even being struck by lightning.

One New Yorker has died from a shark attack in recent times, however. In July 2020, a woman from New York City was fatally attacked by a Great White while swimming off the coast of Maine.

Amazing, Terrifying Sharks Seen in New Jersey & Around the World

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