A huge marine animal has been spotted in the Pacific Ocean, about 300 miles off the California coast.
The rare whale shark, estimated to be 14 to 16 feet long, was seen gliding through clear, calm water between Santa Barbara Island and Malibu on Wednesday.
Carl Sbarounis, a commercial fisheries pilot, was flying over the ocean when his friend Ryder DeVoe contacted him with news of the remarkable sighting.
‘[Ryder] found this 14 to 16ft Whale Shark between Santa Barbara Island and Malibu [on] September 9, 2026. I happened to be nearby and came over to video and take some pics of it,’ Sbarounis wrote on Instagram.
‘Rare species are cruising through our SoCal waters. Hope to catch some more exciting species during this El Nino,’ he added.
Footage recorded by Sbarounis and posted on social media showed the enormous fish moving steadily through the tranquil sea.
Sbarounis said the previous whale shark he encountered was three years ago. He told the Los Angeles Times that the unusual fish tend to appear when ocean temperatures rise.
‘Mostly during El Niño,’ he told the outlet. ‘When the weather is nice, I see unusual stuff.’
The 14- to 16-foot whale shark was seen swimming through clear water between Santa Barbara Island and Malibu on Wednesday
Whale sharks are the largest sharks in the world, but their imposing size does not make them dangerous to people.
Instead, they filter-feed on tiny marine organisms, including plankton, krill and sardines.
The species favors tropical waters in the 70s and 80s and is commonly seen near Australia, Baja California and the Persian Gulf.
Sbarounis also spotted groups of uniquely colored manta rays that day, including tan-brown rays and gray rays with a black stripe known as spinetail devil rays.
California’s ocean has been unusually warm, bringing more tropical creatures into the area, such as 200 lb bluefin tuna that have also been turning up regularly off Northern California.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently gave a 75 percent chance of a historically strong El Niño this winter, which could drive temperatures even higher.
The El Niño Southern Oscillation is a naturally occurring climate cycle that shifts between hot El Niño years and cool La Niña years once every two to seven years.
As we enter an El Niño phase, the powerful trade winds that normally blow hot water across the Pacific towards Australia weaken, or even reverse.
That prevents cool waters welling up from the deep ocean below and causes hot water to collect near the surface off the west coast of South America.
Eventually, that warm water starts to spread out, raising the average global temperature and causing major disruptions to weather patterns around the globe.
Whale shark, the world’s largest shark and an iconic marine species of the region
The developing El Niño has gathered pace dramatically in recent months, with Pacific Ocean temperatures now more than 35F above average in some regions
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said sea surface temperatures in the region at the heart of El Niño are already well above average and are continuing to rise.
The developing El Niño has gathered pace dramatically in recent months, with Pacific Ocean temperatures now more than 35F above average in some regions.
Scientists say the warmth lurking beneath the surface is even more remarkable, with some underwater areas reaching a staggering 46F above normal.
For September to November this year, the WMO’s forecasts indicate there will be above-normal temperatures across almost all land areas around the world.
