Where to find horn sharks in Southern California?

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tphelps

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
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Location
San Francisco, CA
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Aloha everyone!

I'm diving with another University of Hawai'i student and he is conducting a study on Heterodontus fancisci, the horn shark. The parameters of his research are to look at the horn sharks in Southern California, specifically the Malibu area.

Does anyone know where you can frequently see horn sharks diving from shore in So Cal? It's for science!
Thank you very much!

-Tyler

800px-Heterodontus_francisci_2.jpg
 
I would start with the ocean. :D

Seriously this is tough. They are seen often enough, but not every dive like a Garibaldi or Blacksmith.
Habitat - like warm waters, Adults favor sandy flats, juveniles hide among the rocks. Sleep in the day in "caves" or near rocks. Hunt at night,
Diet - urchin or hard-shelled mollusks and crustaceans make up 90% of the diet.

Perhaps Point Dume pinnacles (advanced dive for fit divers, 540+ yard swim against the current on the way back), Deer Creek, Aroyo Sequit, Malibu Road, Whites Cove, any place with heavy population (their natural food) sandy bottom and nearby caves/holes, rocks to hide in during the day.

But like all things ocean, if we are talking animals, there are no guarantees you will see any particular animal on any given day at any given spot. Good luck. Search any dive reports from the weekend, perhaps someone will have a recent report from Malibu. Check Mailbu Divers for advice as it is their neck of the ocean.
 
You may wish to contact someone within the California Reef Check organization, as the Horn shark is one of the target species counted during surveys.

reefcheck.org

I think the data viewing system was recently changed and may not be working the best yet, but you can give it a try:
Reef Check
 
We see them regularly in Laguna at Crescent inner reef (seal rock) and Heisler Park also the inner reef.
 
Check with drbill - I think their numbers are increasing off Catalina recently. Some other shark is decreasing there. IDK how I know that.

Of course it's not Malibu...
 
Check with drbill - I think their numbers are increasing off Catalina recently. Some other shark is decreasing there. IDK how I know that.

Of course it's not Malibu...

We see them a lot at Catalina. And you can shore dive in the dive park, but you need a boat to get there. :D
 
I have seen them at Catalina Dive Park but you have to poke around in the grottos/mini caverns...formed by the breakwater rocks...they hide back in there during the day...usually shallow. Lights help a lot. Also had been seeing torpedo rays in same Park but different location and at 50-80 feet. took this video May 1. Bigger than most btw...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWGSSP8WBEQ&list=UUlwbSlCXD3TvfEpXUpwQzLg




I'm diving with another University of Hawai'i student and he is conducting a study on Heterodontus fancisci, the horn shark. The parameters of his research are to look at the horn sharks in Southern California, specifically the Malibu area.

Does anyone know where you can frequently see horn sharks diving from shore in So Cal? It's for science!
Thank you very much!

-Tyler

View attachment 185849[/QUOTE]
 
Veterans park in redondo beach. We usually see quite a few juveniles out at night.
 
I see them all the time on shore dives in Malibu, although lately viz has been poor, so it's harder to see anything. Leo Carrillo or Deer Creek are good spots, but you have to be on the lookout, since they're usually nestled on the bottom asleep. Malibu Rd or Topanga beach are other options
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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