Meli great white shark
Great White Shark diving in Guadalupe
Shark Facts:
Meli shark profile
Meli has developed a tumour to the side of his face making him very unique. Seen with some regularity, he is one of the easiest males to identify with his blunted dorsal and missing end to his caudal fin.
Like Bruce and Biteface, Meli is one of the bigger (and presumably older) males seen at Guadalupe Island. He appears at varying times throughout the season but he is most likely to be encountered during the earlier part (from September till mid October). When Meli does come by, our guests can recognise him very quickly due to his particular features and recently developed tumour.
It is a myth that sharks cannot get cancer but is Meli’s growth cancerous? First seen in 2014, his tumour was originally pinkish in colour, the following year it had got slightly bigger and darker, then in 2016 when our team saw him, it had reduced in size. The Island’s leading on site scientist, Mauricio Hoyos, took a biopsy of the growth in 2016. The results are still to be revealed but once they are, they will give us the answer to a fascinating question regarding the health and future of Meli.
Meet more Great White Shark Profiles
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Bruce
15 foot Male shark
Bruce is the rock star of the shark world. He has been seen for over 15 years at Guadalupe and from being first spotted as a sub adult, he has gone on to become one of the largest male sharks you are likely to ever meet.
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Shredder
14 foot Male shark
Perhaps the most famous, most seen and most photographed great white shark in the world, Shredder is a true legend of Guadalupe. No other shark comes close to the performances and displays he puts on for our guests.
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Bullet
17 foot Female shark
Bullet is a huge 17ft female named after the “bullet hole” marking on both sides of her dorsal fin. After a very close encounter with our divers went viral in the news, she has gone on to become a shark star!