VIDEO: Great White Sharks Sneak Around Surfers and Fight with Dolphins in Southern California

Dashel Pierson
·2 min read
35

Great white sharks investigating, mingling, and even attacking surfers and swimmers in Southern California is rather common. Google it; you can watch clips for days.

But what about other critters in the ocean? How often, and in what manner, do great whites interact with them? What about critters like everyone’s favorite: dolphins?

Well, speculate no more; check out the footage below.

The clip comes from one of the preeminent shark documenters in Southern California and beyond, Carlos Gauna (aka The Malibu Artist). And at first, the video starts off like many we’ve seen from Gauna – sharks mingling amongst surfers mostly undetected.

But then it takes a turn.

Gauna narrates:

“In this clip, a young white shark literally goes beneath a group of surfers. They had no idea it was there. While it’s these types of clips that get the media attention, the clicks, and the intrigue, there are other encounters I find much more intriguing.

“Ask any surfer, many will tell you – it’s the dolphin encounters that make their day. Who can blame 'em? Dolphins are incredibly beautiful. But what if I told you…where there are dolphins, there are sharks. That much is obvious right? It’s the ocean after all."

From there, he goes to a clip of dolphins vs. sharks; Gauna continues:

“The encounters between sharks and dolphins are always my favorite to witness. It doesn’t take long to realize that the relationship between sharks and dolphins is complex and especially fascinating. Both species seemingly show interest in each other, but do it a different manner. The relationship between sharks and dolphins is a mix of predation, competition, and coexistence.

“It really is intriguing. Some might even use the word ‘cute.’”

Sharks and dolphins coexisting? “Cute” isn’t the word that comes to mind. But it’s sure as hell cuter than that one clip of a sea lion ripping out the throat of a shark.

That was most definitely not cute.

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