Records of Great White Sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in New Caledonian Waters

Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are confirmed to inhabit New Caledonian waters, with 34 individual sharks documented across 30 observation events between 1943 and 2009. These observations, including sightings, captures, and forensic examinations, were predominantly concentrated in the southern lagoon or along the barrier reef, with a seasonal peak from July to March, particularly in September and November. Nearly all sharks were solitary, and some were recorded feeding on whale carcasses or tagged in New Zealand's Chatham Islands. The study highlights the presence of this apex predator in New Caledonia, offering insights into its distribution and behavior, which may coincide with large cetacean occurrences.

Tirard, P., Manning, M. J., Jollit, I., Duffy, C., & Borsa, P. (2010). Records of Great White Sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in New Caledonian Waters. Pacific Science, 64(4), 567–576. https://doi.org/10.2984/64.4.567