What's Out There - Sometimes It May Be a Shock As
Well As a Surprise
Mako Shark in Monterey Bay
Adapted from an article in Soundings, January
2006
Wildlife
photographer Peggy Stap was aboard the whale watch vessel Sea Wolf II
(Monterey Bay Whale Watch cruise), shooting ID photos of whales near shore
in Monterey Bay, when Richard Ternullo sighted a non-whale animal. Here's
Peggy's photo of a Shortfin Mako Shark. Thanks to ACSMB member Peggy Stap
for this amazing photo and information. She writes:"If you look closely at the photo, the shark is eating a harbor seal and you can see the body of the harbor seal next to the shark between his mouth and pectoral [side] fin. Part of the harbor seal is in his mouth -- but on the other side where it is hard to see."
Shark expert Henry F. Mollett helped ID the shark from her photos and posted this on his web site: http://homepage.mac.com/mollet/Io/Io_large.html
The shortfin mako was seen on 3 Sep 2005 at 9:20 a.m.; position 36.37570 N and 121.52596 W; water - 142 feet deep (43 m) ; water temp 15.5 Celsius; in Monterey Bay.
Identified by Dave Ebert and Bob Lea from photo. Photo of dorsal fin confirmed ID.
Capt. Richard Ternullo [SeaWolf II] estimated the shark to be 8 to 9 feet long.
Location is about 2.5 km off Del Monte Beach, Monterey and New Monterey/Cannery Row, Monterey. Can be considered outer Monterey Harbor.
The shark was eating a harbor seal, Phoca vitulina, Family Phocidae, Order Pinnipedia.
If a mako shark in Monterey Bay is a surprise to you, here is a quotation from Sharks and Rays of the Pacific Coast, by Ava Ferguson and Gregor Cailliet, Monterey Bay Aquarium, 1990: "During fall (from August to October), the prevailing winds die down and cease to draw cool water from below. Warm oceanic water from far offshore drifts into the bay, raising water temperatures. Along with this warm-water mass swim large open-ocean sharks, such as shortfin makos and blues. These seagoing sharks may linger in the bay for a month or two." (p. 26).
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Photo copyright © 2005 Peggy StapLast updated March 31, 2006.