Many coastal Californians are well aware that they are sharing local waters with great white sharks, but this summer is shaping up to be especially sharky due to changing climate patterns from El Niño.
Researchers are already spotting higher-than-normal numbers of great white sharks off the California coastline, with sightings beginning earlier than expected. In fact, juvenile sharks started appearing as early as February, although they are usually not expected until April, according to The Guardian‘s interview with Dr. Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach.
The main driver behind the surge is El Niño, a climate phenomenon that warms Pacific waters, particularly near Mexico. As those southern waters heat up, great white sharks, prey such as mahi mahi, and other shark species end up traveling north in search of cooler waters. Juvenile great whites, which typically measure between six and nine feet, are most likely to venture into shallower depths.
Lowe’s team at CSULB last saw this phenomenon in 2015, when El Niño coincided with a marine heatwave, resulting in “twice as many white sharks” in California waters.
Despite the increase in shark activity this summer, officials emphasize that shark attacks are still an extremely rare occurrence.
However, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is taking precautions, including new fishing restrictions aimed at reducing accidental shark encounters near busy beaches.
