El Niño Brings Tropical Marine Life to California

A powerful, naturally occurring El Niño, following a marine heat wave, is warming the eastern Pacific and bringing tropical wildlife to California, including whale sharks, hammerheads, manta rays, sea snakes and the state’s first recorded sea turtle nests; the eggs were moved to an incubator with help from the Aquarium of the Pacific and partner agencies. Warm waters have boosted fishing, with one operator reporting 5,000 yellowfin tuna caught this year versus two the previous year, but have also brought storms, large waves, coastal flooding and erosion that threaten beachfront homes. Researchers warn the conditions could harm kelp forests and native marine life, and a major algal bloom has been linked to seabird deaths. Satellite measurements show sea levels up to 40 centimeters higher in some areas, with researchers warning of sharply increased extreme sea-level risks along Pacific coastlines from Alaska to Chile in 2026–27; NASA images also show parts of the equatorial Pacific becoming bluer as reduced upwelling lowers plankton levels. Climate change does not cause El Niño, though warmer oceans may amplify its effects, and experts expect conditions to move toward normal after it passes.