Shark Trivia

Did You Know that the Sharks Love LA….

….or at least the young ones do? Most people do not realize that the waters off of Los Angeles beaches are home to one of the largest homes in the world for juvenile Great White Sharks. The Great Whites that typically frequent the shallow bays of Central and Southern California tend to be young and measure approximately five to ten feet in length.

One of the reasons scientists believe this happens is that they are born in deeper and colder waters. They move towards the shore where waters are warmer until they are older and they can regulate their body temperature to be prepared to remain in colder waters. The shallow waters also provide protection from other larger sharks and killer whales.

Other shark species commonly found swimming in L.A.’s coastal waters include the Leopard Shark, Pelagic Thresher Shark, the Seven Gill Shark, and the Soup Fin Shark.

As they continue to mature, they usually migrate south to Baja in Mexico. Some return to American waters the next spring, and go back and forth between California and Mexico for about a decade until they are adults and ready to hunt elsewhere for more challenging prey like seals and sea lions.