A California shark cluster has been reported by the U.S. Coast Guard, with about 20 great white sharks in the cluster. Shark feeds on sea lion near AlcatrazThe sharks were spotted nine days ago near Pacifica, only about 100 yards off shore.
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The Pacifica sharks were spotted October. 16 from two Coast Guard helicopters flying at about 500 feet altitude.
Schramm said that the majority of the sharks were between 10 and 15-feet-long; a few were up to 18-feet-long.
An 18-foot shark would be a very large, mature specimen and could be unsafe for humans, McGuire said.
The region’s sharks can grow up to 21ft and weigh as much as 7,000lbs. These sharks can be identified by their grayish skin, white bellies, and bullet-shaped bodies. They’ve really sharp, triangular teeth which could easily rip the flesh off prey. They prefer swimming in temperate, warm, salty coastal seas.
According to Census for Marine Life, experts estimate that there are only roughly 3,500 great white sharks left in the entire world. From them, two-hundred and 19 go swimming close to the central coast of California.
San Francisco Gate reports that Great Whites in the area are “genetically unique” compared to others. Earlier this month tourists on Alcatraz were treated to the rare sighting of a shark feeding on a seal inside San Francisco Bay.
This unusually large group of the ocean killers has raised concerns about the safety of local swimmers, wind surfers and kayakers.
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“An unusual number of juvenile white sharks under 10-feet long have been observed this year, likely associated with the unseasonably high water temperatures along the coast”, said David McGuire, the director of Shark Stewards, a nonprofit shark conservation group affiliated with the Earth Island Institute.
