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Kayaker Hospitalized After Twice-Bite by Mako Shark Off Malibu

By Drooid · Oct 5, 2026, 3:39 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Kayaker Shark Bite

A U.S. kayaker was bitten twice by a shortfin mako shark off Malibu and taken to a hospital.
Los Angeles County Fire Department logged the 8:32 a.m. call at West Pacific Coast Highway.
Officials first recorded a shark attack, then reclassified it as a fishing accident, leaving the beach open.
Firefighters rescued the kayaker and took him to a local hospital.
Authorities did not release his name or medical condition.

Summary

Sharks Move Shoreward

Shark sightings along Southern California’s coast have risen sharply in recent months, prompting heightened vigilance.
Warmer El Niño waters draw baitfish near shore, pulling sharks into shallow zones.
A giant whale shark was spotted off Malibu and Santa Barbara Island last month.
In August, a hammerhead shark bit a fisherman’s line at Malibu pier before releasing it.

History

Historical Context

In July 1916 a heat-wave and polio epidemic drove crowds to New Jersey’s beaches, where four swimmers were killed and another twelve injured in shark attacks that sparked panic and a Navy hunting program. Today, sightings of a mako near Malibu and a whale shark off Santa Barbara echo that surge, prompting Los Angeles County Fire Department to classify incidents swiftly.

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Kayaker Shark Bite

A U.S. kayaker was bitten twice by a shortfin mako shark off Malibu and taken to a hospital.
Los Angeles County Fire Department logged the 8:32 a.m. call at West Pacific Coast Highway.
Officials first recorded a shark attack, then reclassified it as a fishing accident, leaving the beach open.
Firefighters rescued the kayaker and took him to a local hospital.
Authorities did not release his name or medical condition.

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