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Video: 8-Foot Hammerhead Shark Shuts Down Waters Around Newport Beach

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The waters around Newport Beach were closed yesterday after an 8-foot hammerhead was seen swimming near the pier.

Around 11 a.m. on Monday, the large shark was spotted in the waters near the end of Newport Pier by a witness who then alerted lifeguards, reports ABC 7. While the hammerhead didn't appear to be acting aggressively, officials decided to close the beach from 10th to 40th streets and posted signs warning swimmer and surfers. The witness who first spotted the shark caught it on video and posted it to social media:

The beach closure was lifted around 4:30 p.m. on Monday when no further shark sightings were reported. A shark advisory warning remains in place this morning as lifeguards continue to monitor the waters.

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In early September, a hammerhead shark bit the leg of a kayaker in Malibu causing minor injuries, while another one was caught on the line of a fisherman in the area later that month.

According to the L.A. Times, marine biologists suggest the increase in hammerhead sightings could be linked to El Niño, where warmer waters are drawing their food sources further north than usual.

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