Watch: Massive endangered whale shark spotted swimming off Malibu along California coastline

An enormous whale shark has been spotted swimming along the California coastline near Malibu, capturing attention after video of the massive creature surfaced. The endangered whale shark, known as the world’s largest fish, was seen moving through the ocean waters. Despite its enormous size, whale sharks are generally harmless to humans and feed mainly on plankton and small marine organisms. The sighting near Malibu has sparked interest among marine life enthusiasts, with the striking footage highlighting the beauty of one of the ocean’s most remarkable species.

Carl Sbarounis, an aerial spotter for commercial fisheries, said Ryder DeVoe first spotted the whale shark before capturing aerial footage of the gentle giant.

"@ryderdevoe found this 14 to 16ft Whale Shark between Santa Barbara Island and Malibu. Sept 9, 2026. I happened to be nearby and came over to video and take some pics of it. Rare species are cruising through our SoCal waters. Hope to catch some more exciting species during this El Nino," Sbarounis captioned the post on Instagram.

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A post shared by Carl Sbarounis (@airpilikia)

According to the Sbarounis' post, the sea creature was between 14 and 16 feet long. It was spotted Wednesday in the waters between Santa Barbara Island and Malibu.

Whale sharks are the largest fish species on Earth, with some individuals growing to about 40 feet long and weighing as much as 40 tons. Despite their enormous size, these marine giants have a distinctive appearance. Their wide, flattened heads and short snouts are complemented by dark backs covered in a striking pattern of light spots and markings. Researchers believe whale sharks can live for as long as a century.

These gentle giants inhabit tropical and warm-temperate waters across the globe. Their presence in oceans around the world makes them a remarkable, yet vulnerable, part of marine ecosystems.