- The current El Niño climate pattern is causing an increase in dangerous marine life, including sharks and venomous sea snakes, off the California coast.
- Hotter ocean temperatures linked to El Niño are drawing more white sharks to California waters than usual.
- Venomous yellow-bellied sea snakes, whose bites can lead to paralysis and death, are also appearing in California, a species not typically found there.
- Past El Niño events have seen other unusual species like tiger and bull sharks, and hammerhead shark bites, in California waters.
- While shark encounters remain rare, warming waters are altering marine habitats and increasing the potential for interactions between humans and these shifted populations.
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