A Central Florida deputy recently rescued a large ocean sunfish from a beach stranding.
In a video posted by the Volusia County Sheriff’s office, Deputy Urquhart showed how to free a Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) from a stuck position.
Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood posted the rescue video on social media for everyone curious on how to save such a large ocean sunfish.
According to National Geographic: the mola are the heaviest of all the bony fish, with large specimens reaching 14 feet vertically and 10 feet horizontally and weighing nearly 5,000 pounds. They are clumsy swimmers, waggling their large dorsal and anal fins to move and steering with their clavus. Their food of choice is jellyfish, though they will eat small fish and huge amounts of zooplankton and algae as well. They are harmless to people, but can be very curious and will often approach divers. Their population is considered vulnerable. Sunfish frequently get snagged in drift gill nets and can suffocate on sea trash, like plastic bags, which resemble jellyfish.
