Video captured an estimated 12-foot great white tearing blubber from a whale carcass near Malibu Pier, including a tense moment when the shark passed close to a small boat. The footage reportedly coincided with a separate incident in which a kayaker was bitten near Paradise Cove after hooking a suspected shortfin mako; the fisherman was hospitalized. Scientists point to warm ocean temperatures and emerging El Niño conditions as likely causes of increased shark sightings, while experts stress that feeding on whale carcasses is scavenging behavior rather than targeted attacks on people.
12-Foot Great White Tears Into Whale Carcass Off Malibu Pier — Shark Passes Boat; Kayaker Bitten Nearby
12-Foot Great White Shark Rips Into Whale Carcass Off Malibu Pier (Video)
Malibu experienced an unusually active weekend for sharks after video emerged showing an estimated 12-foot great white feeding on a floating whale carcass just off the Malibu Pier.
What the Footage Shows
The primary clip shows the shark ripping large chunks of blubber from the carcass with the Santa Monica Mountains and Malibu coastline visible in the background. A second angle, filmed from a small boat, is more unnerving: the great white swims away from the carcass, then cruises directly toward the vessel, its broad head and distinctive silhouette clearly visible beneath the surface before it passes nearby.
Related Incident: Kayaker Bitten
Reports say the whale-feeding video was shot the same day a kayaker several miles up the coast near Paradise Cove was bitten. Authorities believe the incident began when the fisherman hooked what they suspect was a shortfin mako. While trying to release the fish, the shark bit him. Lifeguard Alex Buford said the animal "came back and knocked him off the boat" before biting his leg again. The fisherman was hospitalized; officials have not publicly disclosed his current condition.
Local Observers And Scientists Weigh In
Filmmaker Carlos Gauna — known as The Malibu Artist — previously recorded great whites near the same pier in August. "I expect there will be more in the coming weeks," Gauna said at the time, noting that white sharks seem to be appearing more frequently year-round.
"It is gearing up to be a sharky summer," predicted Dr. Chris Lowe, director of Cal State Long Beach's Shark Lab, earlier in the season. Lowe cited unusually warm ocean temperatures and developing El Niño conditions as likely drivers of increased shark activity along Southern California.
Context And Safety Notes
Experts emphasize that whale carcasses are powerful attractors for large scavengers. Feeding on carrion does not necessarily indicate sharks are hunting humans — for a 12-foot great white, several tons of whale blubber represent an abundant, high-calorie food source.
Still, the combination of dramatic footage and a nearby bite has prompted increased monitoring by authorities and researchers as shark activity rises along the Southern California coast.
This story was originally published by Surfer on Oct 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section.
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