PACIFIC PALISADES—On June 2, a local surfer reported that he spotted at least 12 great white sharks surfacing along the SoCal coast and has even caught a few on video in the process.
The eyewitness is Randy Wright, and the recent sightings of the great white sharks were captured during Memorial Day weekend at Sunset Beach. The incident is not out of the ordinary because the coastal area has been historically known for attracting the presence of this particular species of marine life.
In addition, another shark sighting occurred at Sunset Beach by a female eyewitness just the day after Wright’s observations. “I saw a White Shark breach. I estimate[d] the shark to be approximately 8 feet long and 1.5 to 2 feet wide. About 2/3 of his body came out of the water, slightly twisted and he splashed back down at an odd angle,” she described on the Shark Research Committee website. She then concluded her report by saying, “I continued to watch for the shark from the bluff with my binoculars, but did not see it surface again.”
For many decades, great white sharks have been spotted along coastal waters and documented through photography or video.
Scientific research has found that great whites are “naturally curious” animals and they “do not prey on humans,” but rather “sample-bite then release their victims,” as it is stated on the National Geographic website. Furthermore, the majority of great white shark attacks on humans are accidental and are not given another conclusion unless proven otherwise.
Great whites are the largest predatory fish on earth and there were approximately 20 or more verified sightings at Sunset Beach around this time last year according to the Shark Research Committee.
Visit sharkresearchcommittee.com to view the original reports and visuals of the sightings submitted by Randy Wright as well as more details on this story and others like it.
