I’m kicking off Shark Week with one of our local celebrities, the Leopard Shark! We are approaching the season where the leopard shark females come into the warmer shallows to incubate their young. And while its possible to see these beauties year round, its well known local insider information that towards the end of summer we can simply snorkel in La Jolla to see large numbers of the leopards in very shallow water. They are not dangerous despite the screams you may hear from tourists but should still be observed quietly and with respect. They are still wild animals after all.
This type of hound shark loves the muddy or sand flats or even the shallow rocky reef. The diet of the shark consists of clams, shrimp, crabs, octopus and bony fish. It utilizes a combination of sucking and biting to capture its prey. The average size of a leopard ranges from 4 to 7 feet and they have a beautiful dark pattern from which they get their name. Leopard shark babies are born live and a mother can give birth to as many as 33 live pups!
I have been fortunate to be able to see these sharks year after year either scuba diving the kelp forests or snorkeling the La Jolla sands and reefs. While they are not the most endangered on the shark list, they are still caught as by catch from fisherman and may still be poached for their fins. They still deserve the same respect to ensure their numbers are healthy for years to come.
Any shark prints purchased will have a portion of proceeds donated to Shark Allies, who are dedicated to the protection and conservation of sharks and rays and the ocean realm they live in.
Contact Me for more information on prints or visit the Shark section on my website: www.underwaterpaparazzi.com/sharks
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