A shark's afternoon snack over the Memorial holiday weekend was a reminder of the predators in San Diego's waters.
Beachgoers witnessed the circle of life up close Sunday as a shark feasted on a dolphin off the coast of Torrey Pines State Beach. The encounter was captured on video and posted on the Facebook page Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.
The nine-and-a-half-foot-long dolphin washed up on shore minutes later.
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June kicks off the start of shark mating season in the Pacific Ocean, which means sharks may be seen more frequently off the coast of San Diego.
Sharks are often spotted off the coast of San Diego but attacks are far more rare. A shark attack occurred in a nearby area in November 2022. The juvenile shark bit a woman who was long-distance swimming in Del Mar. A great white shark bit a teen in Encinitas in 2018 and a woman was attacked by a shark in 2017 off San Onofre State Beach.