'World's Ugliest Animal' Is New Zealand's Fish Of The Year

Wellington: The Blobfish (Psychrolutes Marcidus) that inhabits near the deep seabed, have made the news as it was crowned as the ‘New Zealand’s Fish Of The Year’. The marine animal was awarded with the title of 'World’s Ugliest Fish' back in 2013. 

The Blobfish

Found in the dark, cold depths of the ocean, the blobfish inhabits a region 600-1200 meters below the ocean surface, far beyond the reach of sunlight. This area is characterized by crushing pressures of 60-120 atmospheres and is inhospitable to the majority of marine life, which generally thrives up to the depth of 650 meters where sunlight can penetrate. Yet, the blobfish's soft bones, few muscles, lack of swim bladder, and a floppy gelatinous skin enable it to flourish in these extreme conditions. 

It looks like just another normal fish when it swims in its habitat where there is extreme pressure, however, as it nears the surface where there is comparatively very less pressure, it loses its form and looks like a blob with loose skin and big drooping nose, earning the name ‘Blobfish’. 

They naturally don’t swim up to the surface, and are often brought up accidentally through human activities, such as getting entangled in fishing nets.  When pulled up rapidly, they die due to sudden change in pressure. 

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Why was it awarded New Zealand’s Fish of the Year?

The blobfish is facing a declining population due to overfishing and deep-sea trawling, making it an endangered species. To promote awareness about New Zealand's aquatic ecosystems, the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, a not-for-profit Trust, hosted an online poll, crowning the blobfish as New Zealand's Fish of the Year, closely followed by the Orange Roughy Fish in second place. 

This annual event seeks to educate the people of New Zealand about the diverse fish species inhabiting the country's freshwater and marine ecosystems, highlighting the need for conservation efforts to protect species like the blobfish.