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Sharks have been spotted swimming around Venice's canals, but there's no need to get your Ian Ziering-issued chainshaw ready just yet. The sharks spotted are just harmless baby leopard sharks.
(UPDATE 4/3: Some more leopard sharks were spotted off the Santa Monica Pier today.)
Venice resident Sheena Duggal spotted them earlier this month and took a couple pictures. She told the Argonaut, "When I saw them I did a double take. They were two or three feet long, maybe, swimming in two pairs. I thought they were sharks but I wasn't sure, so I decided to take some pictures."
She sent these photos out on Twitter:
I saw four of what look like small leopard sharks in Venice canals today @Venice311 pic.twitter.com/5XCBhMJnGx
— sheena duggal (@h20warrior) February 5, 2014
@SMPierAquarium #leopardsharksinvenicanals -cool -here's another one that shows scale/size @Venice311 pic.twitter.com/rsAPwzyZgW
— sheena duggal (@h20warrior) February 6, 2014
The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium responded saying they had heard similar reports, and they confirmed that these leopard sharks were probablyabout a year old. Aquarium Operations Manager Jose Bacallao told the Argonaut the sharks likely entered Ballona Lagoon through tidal gates, passed through a culvert under Washington Boulevard and eventually reached the canals. He said they'll probably leave as they get bigger—and these sharks can get up to 5 feet long.
There's no reason for humans to be afraid of these little guys. The Dugal told the Argonaut, "When the ducks came by they got out of the way, which I thought was quite funny."
