Researchers in California may have captured a rare glimpse of a newborn great white shark on video using a drone. The sighting occurred last summer, and the young shark has only recently been identified in scientific records.
The juvenile white shark had not been observed in the wild before this sighting on the central California coast near Santa Barbara. In July, wildlife filmmaker Carlos Gauna and UC Riverside biologist Philip Sternes witnessed a creature that stood out from typical coastal wildlife in the area.
Gauna’s drone footage showed a small great white shark measuring roughly 1.5 meters in length and displaying an unusual all-white coloration. Normally, white sharks have a white underbelly with a gray dorsal side, making this coloration atypical for the species.
Upon closer review of the footage, researchers slowed the imagery and observed that the white coating appeared to shed from the body as the shark moved. Sternes suggested that this shedding could be the loss of an embryonic layer, a natural process seen in newborn sharks during early development.
The findings were documented in a paper published in the journal Biology of Fishes, with the researchers noting their observations and the interpretation of the shedding as a possible sign of a recently emerged hatchling rather than an adult or subadult shark.
Another possible explanation discussed was that the pale covering might be the result of a skin condition, but the scientists considered this less likely given the similarity in appearance and size to other newborn sharks observed in the region.
Gauna noted that he had previously seen great white sharks in the same area that appeared to be pregnant, which aligns with the broader understanding that coastal waters off California can host multiple life stages of this apex predator.
Beyond the California sighting, historical events have underscored the danger posed by large sharks in various regions. For instance, a notable surfing incident in Australia involved a significant injury attributed to a shark encounter, highlighting ongoing concerns about coastal safety and wildlife interactions. Researchers emphasize that ongoing monitoring and documentation of early life stages in great white sharks help scientists better understand their development, behavior, and population dynamics, contributing to safer coexistence strategies for beachgoers and maritime users. These insights are supported by field observations and analyses reported by researchers affiliated with coastal biology programs and collaborating institutions.
The California case adds a valuable data point to the growing body of knowledge about newborn great whites, their physical characteristics, and how their early life stages might be identified in the wild. It also illustrates the role of modern technology, such as drones, in documenting rare wildlife events and informing future research on the species’ life cycle and habitat use. As the scientific community continues to review and discuss these observations, the report remains a reference for comparisons with other documented instances of hatchlings and embryonic shedding in great white sharks around the world, contributing to a clearer picture of how these animals first enter the coastal ecosystem and what this means for conservation and safety in shared ocean spaces. The work cited comes from researchers who regularly study shark populations and contribute to marine biology literature through peer-reviewed publications and field reports (Biology of Fishes, 2024).