El Niño pushes whales and sharks closer to shore
Warm Pacific waters disrupt the food chain by depleting plankton, forcing massive marine predators to hunt for food in shallow coastal waters.
During strong El Niño events, the typical movement of ocean water in the tropical Pacific shifts. Trade winds that usually push warm water westward begin to weaken, allowing a massive pool of heat to expand toward the Americas. This shift prevents the normal upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water that supports the base of the marine food web.
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