A gigantic ocean sunfish measuring 6.9 feet in length was spotted along the shores of Hug Point State Park in Arch Cape, Oregon. The creature, commonly known as a Mola Mola, caught the attention of local aquatic experts and stirred interest among beachgoers.
A local institution, the Seaside Aquarium, posted pictures of the dead sunfish on its Facebook page, saying it was unusually big and caused a lot of attention. While an average is to be considered at 6.9 feet, Mola mola can really go up to an astonishing 10 feet in length and weigh up to 5,000 pounds. This giant sunfish is but one example of the rich and diverse marine life existing off the coast of Oregon.
“Another Mola Mola has washed ashore at Hug Point State Park, and it is creating quite a stir. While it has been dead for quite some time, it is still an interesting site. If you want to go see it, we recommend heading to Huge Point at low tide and head north towards the waterfall. Three sunfish have washed ashore since June in Clatsop County. Two were ocean sunfish (Mola mola), and the other one was a hoodwinker sunfish (Mola tecta),” wrote Seaside Aquarium on Facebook.
“It is not unusual for these guys to wash ashore, as they do reside off the Oregon Coast. We are getting more reports because of the stir that the Mola tecta caused when it washed in (it was the first Mola tecta documented in Oregon, but that is likely because it has just recently been described and designated as a new species). People are aware that we are interested in documenting these strandings and collecting information from them.
The most recent sunfish at Hug Point was 6.9 feet long, which is average size for our area; however, they can get up to 10 feet long and weigh up to 5,000 pounds. They feed heavily on jellyfish, which are in huge abundance this time of year,” the institution added.
The Seaside Aquarium shared images of the sunfish, showing its grey, wrinkled body in a state of decay. This marks the third sunfish to wash ashore in Clatsop County since June.
One of the previous sunfish discoveries, a hoodwinker sunfish, was spotted in June. This 7.3-foot-long creature, also known as a Mola tecta, is a relatively new species, only identified in the past decade. The June discovery was believed to be one of the largest hoodwinker sunfish ever observed.
