Cape Cod declared world's largest stronghold of great white sharks

The great white shark is one of the most dreaded yet fascinating animals found under the sea and if you would like to dare to hang out with these sharks then you might want to head to Cape Cod.

A groundbreaking study from the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, UMass Dartmouth, and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries has declared Cape Cod as one of the world's largest hotspots for great white sharks.

According to the study, 800 white sharks visited Cape Waters between 2015 and 2018, and this is the first time scientists have calculated "white shark abundance" in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The figures from Cape Cod, which is in the southeast of Massachusetts, are "comparable to but larger than" earlier projections of white shark populations in the areas surrounding South Africa, central California, south Australia, and Guadalupe Island in Mexico, CBS reported.

Researchers found 393 individual white sharks in nearly 3,000 videos from 137 trips to Cape Cod beaches, with the shark population peaking in late summer and early fall while ocean temperatures are warm.

Shark attacks are rare, but experts emphasise the importance of shark safety and education programs for the public.

Massachusetts shark researcher Greg Skomal said in a statement that the news should not confuse people into thinking there are hundreds of sharks swimming off the Cape at any given time.

"Their movements are very dynamic, they trickle in and out," he said. "Some white sharks simply stop by on their way north while others spend more time along the Cape, likely because they have success feeding on seals."

The New England Aquarium's scientists are urging people to download the Sharktivity app and to report shark sightings through the app as "dozens to hundreds" of white sharks are predicted to return to Cape Cod this season.