A surfer came face-to-face with an eight-foot great white shark when the predator swam past him off the coast of Santa Barbara.

Drone footage captured by Carlos Gauna, 45, on June 30 shows the juvenile shark swimming just off the Californian coast.

Though unnerving, experts say sharks of this size generally don't pose a serious threat to humans.

Such juveniles belong to a unique coastal population that prefers warm, shallow waters — commonly referred to as nursery habitats — where the young sharks find food and relative safety from larger predators.

"That was another young juvenile white shark that was near shore," said photographer Carlos Gauna, 45, of Ventura County. "

"What often happens is surfers, sometimes we'll see a dorsal fin and, as backwards as that may seem, they'll paddle over to the shark and take a closer look."

Juvenile white sharks, usually ranging from six to ten feet long, are still developing their hunting skills and typically do not target large prey.

"These are juvenile white sharks that don't necessarily pose a significant threat to a surfer because they don't go after large prey at this point in their life," Gauna said. "

"So even as juveniles, it's a big fish. I mean, eight feet is a juvenile, and it's still a big fish."

Marine researchers confirm these sharks frequent near-shore nursery areas along the Central California coast, especially near Santa Barbara.

Studies show juveniles spend much of their time in waters between 60 to 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit, adjusting their depth to regulate body temperature while foraging in these protected habitats.

Despite their size, shark experts caution against approaching or provoking juvenile sharks.

"If you ever find yourself in a situation where you'd see whether it's a juvenile shark or a large adult white shark, just give it space," Gauna said. "

"Eventually, it'll figure out what you are and probably go on its own way. Don't chase it and just let it be."

The presence of these juvenile sharks tends to increase in warmer months when ocean temperatures rise and human beach activity is at its peak.

Conservationists monitor these populations carefully, as white sharks take over a decade to fully mature and have relatively low reproduction rates, making them vulnerable to overfishing and environmental changes.

Santa Barbara's coast remains a hotspot for juvenile white sharks, attracting attention from researchers, conservationists, and thrill-seeking surfers alike.

As understanding of these remarkable predators grows, so does awareness of careful, respectful ocean use.

"It's important to give these sharks the space they need," Gauna said. "They're a big part of the coastal ecosystem and deserve our respect."