A video showing two rare deep-sea fish, commonly referred to as “doomsday fish,” on a beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, has gone viral on social media. The creatures, identified as oarfish, are rarely seen near the surface and are known to live deep in the ocean.
According to a report by Newsweek, two sisters noticed something unusual in the distance while they were near the beach. They later realised the objects were oarfish struggling in shallow water. These fish usually live at depths of around 3,000 feet in the ocean and are rarely observed by people.
One of the sisters, Monica Pittenger, later shared a video of the ribbon-like fish on Instagram in collaboration with the account 'We Love Animals'. NDTV Profit could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
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What The Woman Who Filmed The Video Said?
Describing what she saw, Pittenger said, "It was flashing, and it was really bright."
She added, "And when we saw them up close, it was like nothing we've seen before, so we were like, 'This can't be real'"
She also explained her sister tried to help guide the fish back toward the sea after noticing it struggling.
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Recalling the moment, she said, "Just watching all these men standing around, and she throws me her phone and her drink and her bag, and she's like, 'Hold this.'"
Pittenger also noted that people nearby were unsure how to react to the unusual sight. "I think a lot of people were very hesitant because nobody really knew what it was. It's not every day that you see that. And I mean, I don't blame them," she said.
Why Oarfish Are Called ‘Doomsday Fish'
Oarfish are large, ribbon-shaped fish that feed mainly on krill. They can grow up to around 30 feet in length and are rarely seen close to the ocean surface.
Because of their deep-sea habitat and rare appearances near the shore, they are often associated with natural disasters in folklore.
According to Japanese folklore cited by NDTV, sightings of oarfish are sometimes believed to occur before earthquakes or tsunamis.
However, scientists say there is no concrete evidence linking the appearance of oarfish to natural disasters.
Debate On Social Media
Social media users reacting to the video made mixed comments.
One user wrote, “Wowww! Great job saving them! That's oarfish, the longest bony deep sea fish in the world. Unfortunately, they come out mostly if they are sick, injured, or disoriented. Hopefully they'll be ok. “
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“When was this?! The last known washed on shore was dead in 2024 in SD. To see 2 alive! Wow amazing!,” wrote another.
“Beautiful story, but also knowing that two “doomsday fish” showed up right about now is not necessarily comforting ,” added another.
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