Monumental whale shark noticed off Southern California coast

A dramatic video posted to Instagram shows a huge whale shark swimming off the Southern California coastline.

The post put the estimated size of the sea creature at 14 to 16 feet long. It was spotted between Santa Barbara Island and Malibu on Wednesday.

Carl Sbarounis, who works as an aerial spotter for commercial fisheries, said a friend spotted the whale shark originally and alerted him, SF Gate reported.

The shark was seen about 30 miles off the coast.

Here’s what to know about whale sharks:

What are whale sharks?

Whale sharks can reach sizes of up to 40 feet and 40 tons, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“They have broad, flat heads with short snouts and their backs have an interesting white, yellow, and grey checkerboard pattern,” the NOAA said. It’s believed they can live up to 100 years.

Whale sharks are found in tropical and warm-temperate seas around the world, the agency said.

“Whale sharks eat mostly small organisms like plankton, schooling fish, and squid, which they strain from the water as they swim with their meter-long mouths and specialized teeth,” the NOAA said.