Rare whale shark filmed swimming up California coast

More rare creatures are being spotted off California’s coastline as a historic El Niño heats up the Pacific Ocean.

Carl Sbarounis has worked since the late 1970s as a spotter for commercial fisheries. Flying above the California coast, Sbarounis seeks out and films fish for his clients. Last week, a friend called him with an extraordinary sighting: A whale shark was moving through the waters around Catalina Island. 

Sbarounis flew to the location and filmed the fish making its way about 30 miles off the coast between Santa Barbara Island and Malibu. He guessed it was about 14 to 16 feet long, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Despite their size, whale sharks pose no threat to humans. They drift through the ocean eating small creatures like krill, plankton and sardines. They prefer tropical waters with temperatures in the 70s and 80s, much warmer than what’s normally found in California. Whale sharks are known for congregating in waters off Australia, Baja California and in the Persian Gulf. 

But lately, California's waters have been much more amenable to tropical species. Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center released its latest El Niño forecast. Scientists think there’s a 75% chance of a historically strong El Niño this winter, and ocean temperatures are still rising as part of the weather phenomenon. Separately, the Pacific Ocean experienced an unprecedented marine heat wave this year. Warmer waters mean tropical species are swimming further north. Recently, 200-pound bluefin tuna have become frequent sights in Northern California.

Along with the whale shark sighting, Sbarounis also filmed a school of spinetail rays. The rays normally favor tropical waters, but they were spotted off Southern California last week. Weighing up to 400 pounds and spanning 9 feet across, the spinetail ray can be recognized from its distinctive black band. 

“I saw three different kinds of rays in one area today,” Sbarounis wrote on Instagram late last week. “I’m gonna guess these are about 10 foot wingspan. PS. Be careful going fast with your boats!”