El Niño brings rays, whale shark to Southern California
Andrea RainoneSara Tonks
ByAndrea RainoneandSara Tonks•
September 21, 2026Updated: September 21, 2026, 7:09 am EDTPublished: September 21, 2026, 7:07 am EDT

The intensifying El Niño in the Pacific is causing marine life to go in search of cooler water, bringing unusual critters towards Southern California. Sicklefin devil rays, hammerhead sharks and even whale sharks have all been spotted near SoCal recently, an area they aren’t usually found, as they explore new habitats and avoid the warm waters from El Niño.

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