Tag Archives: great white sharks

Why Great White Sharks Moving Toward the Gulf Right Now Matters — And Why I’ve Spent Years Investigating Them

For years, most people have accepted the idea that great white sharks simply don’t enter the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a belief repeated so often it became “fact.”

But as new movement data rolls in right now, reality is proving to be far more mysterious — and far more fascinating.

NEW VIDEO: My Deep-Dive Investigation (Cilck here on video Embed below)

I just released a new YouTube episode breaking down today’s southbound movements and the hidden history of great whites in the Gulf that most people have never heard.

👉 Watch the full video here:
Great White Sharks Are Returning to the Gulf Right Now! Hidden History Revealed
(Insert your link)

This episode shares rare historical information I’ve uncovered, along with why these current movements matter.

Why This Story Matters

Higher Calling has always been about looking deeper — seeking truth, connection, and meaning in the natural world.
Great white sharks remind us how vast creation is, and how little we truly understand.

When animals appear where we don’t expect them, it challenges our assumptions and reminds us:

  • nature is full of surprises
  • our knowledge is incomplete
  • and wildlife stories often contain hidden layers
My Long History Investigating Great Whites

Long before Higher Calling existed, I spent years researching and writing about great whites, documenting:

  • historical Gulf sightings
  • rare Texas-related reports
  • archival notes and forgotten catches
  • science on long-distance movements
  • stories from fishermen and coastal residents

None of this research was about sensationalism. It was about following the evidence and respecting the complexity of God’s creation.

The Gulf Connection

The Gulf of Mexico has always held mysteries — rare wildlife appearances, unexpected migrations, and natural patterns that defy easy explanations.

Look close and you will see a 12-foot great white shark in the water! This is when I had the privilege of going on the water with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy in 2024.

During this time of year, great whites commonly move south along the Atlantic, and occasionally their paths bring them close to the Gulf.
It doesn’t mean large numbers are entering the region, but it does mean the Gulf is part of a bigger ecological story than most people realize.

The Higher Calling Perspective

Whether we’re talking about mountain wildlife, coastal mysteries, or conservation ethics, the heart of Higher Calling stays the same:

To honor creation.
To seek truth.
And to inspire others to look deeper.

That’s why this great white movement matters now — because it rekindles awe and curiosity, and that sense of wonder draws us closer to understanding creation and the One who made it.

More stories like this are coming soon as we continue exploring the wild, the meaningful, and the rarely told.

Chester Moore

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

To support the efforts of Higher Calling Wildlife® click here.

Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors podcast on all major podcasting platforms.

@thechestermoore on Instagram

Chester Moore’s YouTube.

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Just Dropped: Gulf Great White Film + 2025 Shark Week Schedule

They said it couldn’t happen. Now it’s swimming in our backyard.

Once thought mythical in Gulf waters, great white sharks have now been spotted from Florida to Texas! Gulf Great White Sharks: Return of An Icon — the first-ever documentary on Gulf great whites — tells the story that’s rewriting shark science.

🐋 Watch now:
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHcnKMmwd-8

Viewers are calling it:

“Goosebumps.”
“A real turning point for the topic of great white sharks..”
“Why isn’t this on Shark Week? It’s that good.”

🎥 At its heart: a great white shark spotted off Sabine Pass, Texas, near the Louisiana border — a moment that shattered assumptions and made international headlines.

What you’ll experience:

  • Historic sightings & modern encounters near Port Aransas, Galveston & the Chandeleurs
  • Cutting-edge tracking & drone research
  • Interviews with Dr. Greg Skomal & Dr. Megan Winton
  • Conservation message from Chester Moore & Paul Fuzinski
  • Inspiring stories from the next generation of ocean champions

🦈 Like. Comment. Share.
Be part of shark-conservation history.
Because the Gulf’s true apex predator isn’t the bull shark—it’s the great white.

📺 Bonus: Shark Week 2025 Schedule

Get the ultimate shark fix this week — from Sunday, July 20 to Friday, July 25. Here’s what’s lined up at 8–11 p.m. ET/PT nightly (with encores):

DayEvent Highlight
Sun, Jul 20Dancing With Sharks — dancers & sharks underwater
Mon–FriNew shows nightly: Air Jaws: Hunt for Colossus, Great White Assassins, In the Eye of the Storm (Gulf Coast focus)
Sat, Jul 26Finale: Battle of Shark Mountain

Want the full lineup? Visit Shark Week 2025 on Discovery. But don’t wait — be the first to watch the only film about Gulf great whites ever made:

▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHcnKMmwd-8

The Truth About “Jaws”, It’s Making & Shark Persecution

Beneath the surface of Hollywood’s most iconic ocean thriller lies a deeper, darker truth. In this chilling episode, we venture into the murky waters behind the making of Jaws—a film that forever altered our perception of the sea and its apex predator. But the terror didn’t end on screen.

We dive into real-life great white shark attacks that fueled the public’s fear and expose how Steven Spielberg’s cinematic masterpiece led to shark persecution but also inspired some to take up shark conservation. From behind-the-scenes chaos and mechanical monsters to blood-soaked beaches and misunderstood killers, this is the untold story of fear, fiction, and fallout.

Listen to a fun episode of Dark Outdoors on the real story behind Jaws that you have never heard.

Listen and subscribe here on your favorite podcast platforms.

Strange New Gene Editing Case

In a bold new step for aquaculture, scientists at Auburn University have created a genetically modified catfish containing an alligator gene—not to grow scales or teeth, but to fight disease. Using CRISPR gene-editing, researchers inserted the cathelicidin gene, which helps alligators resist infections, into channel catfish embryos. The modified fish also carry a sterility switch, ensuring they can’t breed in the wild.

The goal? Combat the major issue of aquatic disease that leads to billions in losses globally. In tests, the hybrid catfish had up to five times higher survival rates against bacterial infections compared to normal stock.

The technology is still under review for commercial use, but its implications are vast: fewer antibiotics, higher yield, and built-in ecological safeguards.


Higher Calling Wildlife® is closely following this emerging space, particularly after receiving recent awards for investigative reporting on wildlife cloning—including the controversial case of the cloned Marco Polo sheep. With conservation, biotech, and law intersecting in unexpected ways, these stories are only beginning to unfold.

Chester Moore

Chester Moore

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

To support the efforts of Higher Calling Wildlife® click here.

Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors podcast on all major podcasting platforms.

@thechestermoore on Instagram

Chester Moore’s YouTube.

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

The Shark Attacks That Inspired “Jaws”

Ever heard of the real-like shark attacks that inspired “Jaws”?

Although they were very real there has always been something about a great white being blamed that seemed strange. This podcast is about dangers in the outdoors (lots of true crime and strange encounters) and on the episode that just dropped we talk about the infamous 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks that inspired “Jaws”. I give several theories and give my reason why I am suspicious of it being a great white.

You can subscribe and listen here via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, IHeartradio  Audible.

Plus, this is a positive show so I have a shark expert on talking about growing shark numbers in the Gulf, a segment on a shark bite prevention technology and even more.

If you listen past the credits I have a whole other episode’ with an interview with a researcher about cutting-edge mako research in the Gulf!

I use every chance I have to promote shark conservation and to get people’s attention on these topics.

Did You Get A Gulf Great Sharks Decal?

I posted a blog a couple of weeks ago saying if anyone subscribed to my Gulf Great White Sharks blog and emailed me they would get a free Gulf Great White Sharks decal. The response has been wild-in a good way! We now have nearly 500 subscribers!

The mail is slow ,so if you don’t have your decal within two weeks, email me at chester@chestermoore.com and I will get another one out to you.

Thanks for subscribing, but there’s more!

I will be posting a lot of Dark Outdoors® and shark content on my Instagram-www.instragram.com/thechestermoore -@thechestermoore

If you follow me there and then send me a PM saying, “followed” I will put you in a drawing for a 16 X 20 Gulf Great White Sharks poster showing an awesome image of a great white shark beneath an oil rig. Just follow, PM me with “followed” and I will put you in for a drawing I will do April 25.

Chester Moore

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

To support the efforts of Higher Calling Wildlife® click here.

Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors podcast on all major podcasting platforms.

@thechestermoore on Instagram

Chester Moore’s YouTube.

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

They Are Wrong About Great Whites!

When I saw an article that from said great white sharks will not enter the Gulf of Mexico pop up in my Google alerts, I couldn’t help but giggle. I am after all the creator of the Gulf Great Whites blog, so it definitely grabbed my attention.

Even though I hadn’t yet read the story, I knew this was another opportunity to use this platform to educate people that great white sharks are indeed present in Gulf waters. And it’s just another example of how few people, even those in media realize this.

You can read my response over at our sister blog Gulf Great White Sharks by clicking here.

And please subscribe to the Gulf Great White Sharks blog while you’re there.

Huge Response To Grizzly Episode. Don’t Miss it!

In this special episode of Dark Outdoors®, we bring you an uncut, hour-long firsthand account from Ben Verheul, a man who faced one of nature’s apex predators—and lived to tell the tale. Deep in the Wyoming backcountry, Verheul found himself in a life-or-death struggle with a grizzly bear, one he shockingly realized he had encountered before.

I am getting lots of great feedback on this truly fascinating, scary and inspiring episode.

Click here to get our Linktree to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcats, IHeartradio & Audible. Please subscribe!

Listen here on Podbean.

Our Wild Wishes® Program Needs Your Help!

Wild Wishes® is our flagship program that grants wildlife encounters to hurting children -ranging from critical illness to parental loss and life in fhe foster system. And we need your help!

We currently have the largest number of kids ever in cue to come through the program. But we need your help to make their wishes come true. Can you make a tax-deductible donation? Link below.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to phase 1 of our Kingdom Zoo Wildlife Center Redo. It went great.

But now we need help with accomplishing these wishes which include an amazing, personalized gift package for each special kid.

Can you help us? We’re in a time when we really need it to accomplish our mission.

You can make a tax-deductible donation here.

Chester Moore

To support the efforts of Higher Calling Wildlife® click here.

Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors podcast on all major podcasting platforms.

@thechestermoore on Instagram

Chester Moore’s YouTube.

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Chester Moore To Speak On Great White Sharks Feb. 15 At Houston Fishing Show

The Houston Fishing Show at the George R. Brown Convention Center will host a special seminar by Chester Moore, Editor-In-Chief of Texas Fish & Game , Higher Calling Wildlife® founder and founder of the Gulf Great White Sharks project.  Moore’s seminar, titled “The Return of the Great White and Other Giant Sharks in Texas Waters,” is set to shed light on fascinating developments in shark populations along the Texas coastline.

It will take place 1:45 p.m. Saturday Feb. 15.

Moore will discuss an increase in sightings and activity of great white sharks and other large species in the Gulf of Mexico. He plans to discuss key findings, including tracking data from tagged sharks, such as “LeeBeth,” a large great white tagged by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy that showed up at South Padre Island in 2024.

These insights provide an in-depth look at why these apex predators are making a resurgence in local waters and what it means for the Gulf’s ecosystem.

The seminar will also explore other large sharks on the Texas coast including tigers, great hammerheads and makos.

The seminar is scheduled as part of the Houston Fishing Show’s lineup of educational events. For anyone interested in learning more about sharks in Texas waters, this is a must-attend session.

All attendees will get a special Gulf Great White Sharks decal and an invite to a special great white shark documentary debut.

For the full Houston Fishing Show seminar schedule click here.

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

To support the efforts of Higher Calling Wildlife® click here.

Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors podcast on all major podcasting platforms.

@thechestermoore on Instagram

Chester Moore’s YouTube.

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

“Summer of the Shark” Kicks Off!

Higher Calling Wildlife® an outreach, founded by renowned wildlife journalist & conservationist Chester Moore, is thrilled to announce the launch of its “Summer of the Shark” program.

This exciting initiative aims to educate and inspire the next generation of wildlife conservationists by teaching kids about shark conservation.

The program is generously sponsored by the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA).

The “Summer of the Shark” program is designed to provide young people with a deeper understanding of the vital role sharks play in marine ecosystems. Through engaging activities and mentorship, children will learn about the challenges sharks face and the importance of conservation efforts.

Chester Moore and Ericashea Borel from the Wild Wishes program in the cage at the Texas State Aquarium in 2023.

A highlight of the program will be the distribution of gifts to children on beaches this summer. These gifts, which include educational materials and conservation-themed items, aim to make learning about sharks fun and memorable.

Additionally, the program will extend its reach to shark-loving children facing special challenges, such as terminal illnesses, by sending these gifts to them across the country.

“It is exciting to help support a program that does so much in youth outreach within the context of marine conservation,” said CCA President Pat Murray.

“Chester’s vision and work are more than inspirational. He helps guide kids into natural resources conservation while also elevating the important and intricate issues in domestic and international shark management and conservation.”

The Higher Calling Wildlife® outreach has a long-standing commitment to wildlife education and conservation but especially in helping young people.

“CCA’s commitment to this program is enabling us to do some amazing things this summer. This will we’re taking three kids shark snorkeling at the Texas State Aquarium in their shark cage and kicking off the gift-giving part of the program. CCA is vital in making this happen,” Moore said.

“LeeBeth” photo courtesy Chip Michalove/Atlantic White Shark Conservancy

“The three awesome young people we have going with us are inspiring to me and I’m excited to take them out and give out shark education gifts to kick off our summer-long program.”

Moore said inspiration for the program came when “LeeBeth”, a great white shark fitted with a satellite tag by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (AWSC) popped up on the Texas Coast at South Padre Island.

“When I saw the response to that shark showing up and even my own daughter more engaged than normal on sharks and ocean issues through AWSC’s Sharktivity app, I thought it would be a good time to focus our efforts working with kids on sharks this summer. We’ve done three shark expeditions since 2022 with kids in Texas and Florida and thought we would do something special this year, since we had a special visitor to our coast that got so many kids excited.”

For more information about the “Summer of the Shark” program and how to get involved or connect a kid with the program email chester@chestermoore.com. or text 409-920-2062.

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

@thechestermoore on Instagram

Chester Moore’s YouTube.

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors and Higher Calling Wildlife podcasts on all major podcasting platforms

Chester Moore Announces Gulf Great White Sharks Project

Chester Moore, a renowned wildlife journalist and conservationist, has announced the launch of a new blog and website dedicated to great white sharks in the Gulf of Mexico.

The blog, titled “Gulf Great White Sharks,” aims to provide a comprehensive platform for the latest news, reports, and research on great white sharks in the Gulf region.

For over a decade, Chester Moore has been investigating and publishing articles and podcasts on great white sharks in the Gulf. Inspired by the groundbreaking work of organizations like the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (AWSC) and Ocearch, Moore decided to create the blog after witnessing the movements of a particular great white shark named “LeeBeth”.

Moore remarked, “LeeBeth’s movements, as tracked by the AWSC tag put on her by Capt. Chip Michalove in South Carolina, fascinated me. Seeing her presence near South Padre Island and then a few days later near Sabine Pass on the Texas-Louisiana border was truly remarkable. It highlighted the importance of understanding and conserving great white sharks in the Gulf of Mexico.”

Moore said the Sabine appearance in particular was interesting.

“A report from a very knowledgeable guide over a decade ago who was fishing 58 miles from the Sabine Jetties is what got me into researching white sharks in the Gulf. Incidentally, “LeeBeth” pinged very close to where he was fishing.”

The Gulf Great White Sharks blog is dedicated to the conservation of great white sharks and other apex predators in the Gulf of Mexico.

Visitors to the website, www.gulfgreatwhites.com, can expect to find a wealth of information on the behavior, ecology, and conservation efforts related to primarily to great whites but it will also deal with other sharks in Gulf waters.

Chester Moore is available for interviews to discuss his new project and the importance of conserving great white sharks in the Gulf of Mexico.

With the launch of this project, Chester Moore aims to raise awareness about the importance of preserving the marine ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico and ensuring the continued survival of great white sharks and other apex predators.

For media inquiries or to schedule an interview with Chester Moore, please contact Chester Moore at Chester@chestermoore.com or 409-920-2062.

[About Chester Moore]

Chester Moore is an award-winning wildlife journalist and conservationist with a passion for marine life. He is Editor-In-Chief of Texas Fish & Game and founder of Higher Calling Wildlife®. He has dedicated his career to raising awareness about the importance of wildlife and marine conservation.

Through his writing, speaking engagements, and conservation efforts, Moore continues to inspire others to take action to conserve our natural resources.

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

@thechestermoore on Instagram

Chester Moore’s YouTube.

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors and Higher Calling Wildlife podcasts on all major podcasting platforms.

Great White Off The Texas and Florida Coasts

Did you know great white sharks are returning to the Gulf of Mexico in a big way?

We talk about a case of a great white off the Texas Coast a few years back as well as dig into the reason white sharks are returning to Gulf waters in the latest episode of Higher Calling Wildlife on YouTube.

New Great White Sharks Blog

I’m super excited to debut my new blog that’s all about great white sharks in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s over at www.gulfgreatwhites.com.

It’s the place to get up to date info on the return of great white sharks in the Gulf of Mexico as well as covering other large sharks in Gulf waters such as makos, porbeagles, tigers and bulls.

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

@thechestermoore on Instagram

Chester Moore’s YouTube.

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors and Higher Calling Wildlife podcasts on all major podcasting platforms.