Dead Whale Attracts 16-Foot Great White Shark Off California Coastline

It should not come as a surprise that dead whales attract sharks. It’s not a rare occurrence to have a beach closure when one is spotted floating offshore, especially if said dead whale is spotted near a surfing area. Carlos Gauna, a drone operator/shark enthusiast who routinely films amazing shark footage off the coast of California, saw the biggest great white he’s ever filmed in those waters. Which is saying a lot, because he’s seen a lot of great whites. Gauna estimates the great white shark in question is 16-18 feet long.

He spotted the shark after finding the dead whale washed up on the sand. It might be hard to see such a beautiful creature lying dead on the beach, but it helps to remember that it’s all just part of the natural process, and the whale’s carcass served as food for other hungry animals. After seeing the huge shark, Guana returned the next day to have another look. Just a few hundreds yards from the dead whale, he saw surfers — which, as you might imagine, is not advisable. Also included in the second day’s sightings were dolphins and an absolutely enormous gathering of leopard sharks.