Rare Oarfish: New Zealand Sees Rare 10-Foot Deep-Sea Creature Wash Ashore
A rare oarfish in New Zealand washed ashore recently and was found by a local resident walking the beach. The Department of Conservation was phoned immediately and came to the shore to examine the 10-foot creature. According to the Tech Times, DOC service manager, David Agnew, said that he had never seen anything like this in his 20 years working for the department.
This extremely rare oarfish washed up on a beach in New Zealand http://t.co/VxUMMnm6xA pic.twitter.com/gCdxYf3ahW
— Business Insider UK (@BI_Europe) April 17, 2015
”It must have just washed up and it was very fresh. It’s a very weird looking creature, Instead of scales it has this smooth skin, like tinfoil, and if you rubbed it the silver would come onto your hand,” explained Agnew.
“They are usually found in deep water in tropical temperatures, but I think they do come up to feed on the surface,” said New Zealand Marine Studies Center and Aquarium manager, Tessa Mills.
The rare oarfish in New Zealand has been making headlines all over the world since it was discovered. Many people seem simply fascinated by creatures of the deep, especially ones that are so bizarre looking. According to the Business Insider, an injured or dying oarfish will end up closer to the water’s surface, and it is possible that the one found on the New Zealand beach was unwell. It is difficult to know for sure, but the creature has presumably been sent to a research facility where it will be further examined and tested.
“Oarfish are the longest known bony fish in the world, and they are believed to grow to more than eight [meters] in length. Not much is known about their habits and life cycle because they live at great depths — up to 3,000 feet from the surface — making them difficult to study.”
This extremely rare oarfish washed up on a beach in New Zealand http://t.co/RRW0npBJ8U pic.twitter.com/xkfjSeNPSc
— Business Insider UK (@BI_Europe) April 17, 2015
The rare oarfish found in New Zealand is quite interesting to look at. Frequently referred to as a “sea monster” or a “sea serpent,” these creatures are completely strange and look different from anything else you’d find in the deep sea. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, some people draw comparisons between the oarfish and the Loch Ness Monster.
What do you think of the oarfish? Are you curious to know more about these amazing creatures?
[Photo via Wikimedia Commons]
