A great white shark is swimming in the waters off Washington State and the remains of a dead half-eaten harbor seal found on the beach warned officials from the state's Fish and Wildlife Department of its existence. 

According to Christopher Lowe, a professor of marine biology from the California State University in Long Beach, sightings of Great Whites are quite unusual, especially in northern California but are not unheard of.

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He says Great Whites can adapt to colder waters compared to other species as they have the ability to maintain their bodies at a temperature warmer than the surrounding water. Lowe also adds that Great White sightings are more common along coastal British Columbia since warmer ocean temperatures allow the sharks to migrate further north.

He believes that frequent shark occurrences is a direct result of decades of legislation and environmental management that brought back the marine food chain to flourish once more. Lowe says that seeing large predators is a good sign the ecosystem is being restored.

This phenomenon can also lead to an increase of dolphin populations, seals and even whales. This will not necessarily meant a Great White population will establish itself in the British Columbia coast.

Among the threats to Great Whites are humans and orcas. Lowe assures that as long as there are orcas in the ocean, Great Whites won't stay for long. Great White attacks are extremely rare and this would likely occur in areas where there are also huge seal populations.

TagsGreat White Shark Lurking in Waters of Washington State Coast, Great white shark, Washington State, British Columbia, california, great white shark in washington state, US