Super El Niño Brings 16-Foot Whale Shark Near California Coast
CALIFORNIA — A rare 14-to-16-foot whale shark has been spotted off the Southern California coast, drawing attention from marine experts. The shark was sighted between Malibu and Santa Barbara Island and captured on camera by pilot Carl Saburones, who was scouting for commercial fishing. Whale sharks typically inhabit warm tropical waters, making the sighting unusual…
CALIFORNIA — A rare 14-to-16-foot whale shark has been spotted off the Southern California coast, drawing attention from marine experts. The shark was sighted between Malibu and Santa Barbara Island and captured on camera by pilot Carl Saburones, who was scouting for commercial fishing. Whale sharks typically inhabit warm tropical waters, making the sighting unusual for this region.
Experts say this year’s unusually strong El Niño may be driving the migration. The U.S. Climate Prediction Center puts the odds of a very strong El Niño during 2026-27 above 90%. In the same week, Saburones also filmed large spinetail devil rays near Orange County.
According to Scripps Institution of Oceanography, sea surface temperatures near the equator were about 0.2°C above normal as of August 2026. Experts note whale sharks were also spotted near Catalina during the strong 2015-16 El Niño, but say the current sighting is likely temporary — the shark is expected to head back south once waters cool.
