El Niño drives surge of great white sharks and venomous sea snakes off California coast

A strong El Niño event is warming Pacific waters and prompting unusual marine species to appear off California. Scientists say the rise in temperature has attracted more great white sharks and the tropical yellow‑bellied sea snake, whose bite can cause rapid paralysis and death.

"We expect to see all kinds of weird tropical things come up with this warm water," said Douglas McCauley, director of the Benioff Ocean Initiative at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Recent incidents include a kayaker bitten by a sea snake near Santa Monica and a great‑white shark bite reported off San Diego. Since 1950, California authorities have recorded only 236 shark‑human interactions, but warming waters are increasing the likelihood of such encounters.

The phenomenon mirrors past El Niño cycles that shifted populations of sea lions, turtles and other fish, highlighting how climate patterns can alter marine ecosystems and pose new risks to beachgoers.