Encountering an oarfish in the wild is a rare event, as these deep-sea creatures spend most of their lives thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface. Known as the “doomsday fish,” they are believed to be omens of impending disasters, a superstition that has resurfaced after one was recently spotted on a beach in Mexico.
The ocean is home to countless bizarre creatures, many of which dwell beyond the “euphotic zone,” where sunlight can no longer penetrate. Among them is the oarfish, a serpentine species that holds the title of the largest bony fish in existence, capable of growing up to 26 feet long.
Typically found at depths of 250 to 1,000 meters, oarfish struggle to survive in shallower waters, and those that rise too high often wash ashore. Japan, where the term “doomsday fish” originated, has long associated oarfish sightings with natural disasters, particularly earthquakes and tsunamis. This belief gained traction after an unusual number of oarfish appeared on Japanese beaches in the years leading up to the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which claimed around 20,000 lives.
So far in 2024, oarfish have been found in the Philippines, Thailand, and California. Now, another has surfaced near the San Andreas Fault, just months after the last sighting.
According to Fox Weather, an extraordinary scene unfolded earlier this month on Playa El Quemado in Baja California Sur, Mexico, where a live oarfish was spotted wriggling in the water as a small crowd gathered to watch.
The fate of the oarfish remains uncertain, as it was unlikely to survive much longer in such conditions. However, the man seen touching it at the end of the video reportedly stated that he planned to contact a marine biologist in hopes of improving its chances.
