Above: Drone 5 video of the leopard sharks off the coast of La Jolla. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Summer has come a little early to San Diego this year, with leopard sharks already beginning to congregate off the coast of La Jolla for the season. Every year, thousands of these sharks amass in t he shallow waters of the coastal community during the warmest months of the year — usually June to September — for their pupping season. This year, however, it appears that time of year is approaching a little quicker. FOX 5/KUSI headed to the Matlahuayl State Marine Reserve, located just beyond the southern edge of Shores Beach, where dozens of leopard sharks were swimming. At pupping season's peak, thousands of sharks are present in the calm waters, making it the largest congregation of the species in the world. Cherry blossom season begins: Where to view blooms in California The leopard sharks that flock to the coast have mostly been observed to be female, according to the San Diego Zoo. The creatures travel while pregnant to help their pups grow in the shallow waters — an ideal natural incubator. While most sharks leave at the end of pupping season, some of the friendly predators stick around in La Jolla into the winter months for its abundance of food to scrounge up from the reserve's sandy bottom, including crabs, fish eggs, and clams. San Diegans should be able to spot the marine neighbors over the next few months by looking out for the leopard shark's distinctive color pattern and numerous saddle-shaped bands that run up and down the length of their bodies. Beachgoers can encounter them either by scheduling out a kayaking or snorkeling tour with a local company or by swimming out into the water at La Jolla Shores Beach themselves. For those who encounter one, there's no reason to be scared of them, as the sharks do not bite or bother humans unless provoked. According to the zoo, there have only been a handful of "attacks" ever reported and most were simply a shark bumping into a human. As with all wildlife encounters, when observers are respectful of the animals' space, experts say they can expect the animals will be the same towards them. ...read more read less