Thanks so much!
What I've found is that they're really, really good at hiding. There have been several sites where a handful of people told me I wouldn't find horn sharks, but because I had time, I went and looked anyway, with great success. That's not to say I doubt what you're saying here at all - but I do weigh it against those experiences a little bit. Unless people are looking for them carefully and specifically, they're incredibly easy to miss. That said...there have absolutely been sites where people said I would find them, and I found none (*cough* Malaga Cove, CA *cough*)! And, due to budget constraints, I've got to be careful about spending too much time on dud sites, so these insights are especially valuable.
Honestly, I may skip Sonora (to focus on the Baja Peninsula as a barrier to dispersal by itself), and focus my sampling efforts on the following sites:
- San Quintin (< this may involve cooperation from fishermen at fishing camps/villages)
- Magdalena Bay (they're well-documented here)
- Cabo San Lucas (questionable...)
- La Paz
- Loreto
I really appreciate you taking the time to respond, and maybe even report back. I can't tell you how helpful that is. I thought I was flying blind in California...this is a whole different beast.
- Sean
