Strange creatures occasionally washing up on shore only add to the curiosity about the mysteries of the ocean floor.
This incident occurred at the mouth of the Kennett River on the southwest coast of Victoria, Australia. Cath Rampton and Tom, a veterinarian couple, stumbled upon a strange creature of enormous size lying on the beach while out for a walk.
Despite being both veterinarians, they admitted to never having seen this creature before. The creature was about 2 meters in length and width, with a bizarre appearance resembling an extraterrestrial monster. According to researchers, the creature the couple saw was an Ocean Sunfish. This is a fish species that can reach an average length of 2.5 meters and weigh hundreds of kilograms. They can grow up to 3 meters in length, 4.2 meters in width, and weigh about 2.5 tons. This is a species that is vulnerable in nature, so finding them is very rare.
Ralph Foster, a fish collector from the South Australian Museum, explained why so many sunfish end up on the beach: “One of the biggest reasons is that they collide with large ships at sea. This fish species also often dies from eating plastic bags that they mistake for jellyfish.”
Foster said he receives reports of sunfish washing up on the beaches of Southern Australia every year. “They are quite common in Australia’s coastal regions, but usually found offshore.”
Sunfish are found in tropical oceans around the world and are often mistaken for sharks due to their fins. This fish is considered a delicacy in some Asian regions, including Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.
Src: fancy4work.com
