A cluster of 20 great white sharks was spotted near the shore of Pacifica, San Francisco. (Photo : Pixabay)
A group of 20 great white sharks was seen by the U.S. Coast Guard in California's northern coast where swimmers, surfers and kayakers are now concerned about their safety.
This terrifying recent sighting was seen from Pacifica, south of San Francisco following an incident from last week of a viral video involving a great white shark attacking and devouring a seal in San Francisco bay.
The sharks lurking around Pacifica were apparently swimming at a distance of less than 100 yards from the shore, where they are measured up to 10 to 15 long as two were estimated to reach at least 18 feet long, according to experts.
Researchers also say that great white sharks can reach up to 21 feet long where they come from the deep ocean to feed on seals and sea lions that are living near Farallon Islands and Drakes Bay in San Francisco during this time of the year.
According to Mary Jane Schramm from the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, this is the first time that sharks are seen near the shore, aggregating near an urban area. The sharks were spotted last October 16 by two Coast Guard helicopters from 500 feet above.
According to David McGuire from the conservation group Shark Stewards, there is an unusual number of juvenile sharks that are under 10 feet long which can be linked to higher water temperatures along the coast. McGuire adds that this 18 foot shark is very large and considered very dangerous for humans.
Great white shark attacks on humans are still considered to be rare but for now, McGuire advises some caution by swimming and surfing some place else for a few days.
This shark species is indigenous to coastlines of the U.S., Australia and South Africa where there are only 3,500 great whites are left around the world, as 220 of them live near the central California coast, says the Census for Marine Life.
