Do not judge the lumps by that cover.
Once dubbed as the world’s most gli animal dubbed with a soft, lumpy look, Blobfish made a stunning comeback. This week he was crowned as Fish of the Year by the New Zealand Environmental Group.
The annual contest held by the Mountain-to-Sea Conservation Trust aims to raise awareness of New Zealand’s freshwater and marine life.
This year, Blobfish received the coveted acclaim, paying about 1,300 of the more than 5,500 votes.
This is the victory of the Blobfish underdog, which exploded into mainstream notoriety in 2013 as the mascot of the Ugh Animal Conservation Society.
Gelatinous fish live on the seabed and grow to approximately 12 inches (30 cm) in length. They are found primarily off the coast of Australia, where they live 2,000-4,000 feet (600-1,200m).
Blobfish are known for their false silhouettes, but in their natural deep-sea habitat, they actually resemble normal fish, their shapes being kept together by high water pressure.
However, when captured and brought to the surface rapidly, its body transforms into its distinctive muscular form – the same as gaining the same.
Second place was the coarse orange fish, a deep-sea fish from the slimehead family known for its mucus tubes above the head.
It was “the unforgettable difference in the battle of the deep sea.” “The battle between two quirky deep sea creatures. The unconventional beauty of the blobfish helps lead voters to the line.”
The orange Lafrey was on track for victory until some of the local radio station hosts launched a passionate campaign for Blobfish.
“We have up-and-coming fish, we need your vote,” local radio network More FM hosts Sarah Gandy and Paul Flynn urged listeners at last week’s show. “You need blobfish to win.”
The news of Blobfish’s victory was celebrated by the radio host.
“The blobfish were patiently sitting on the seabed, and their mouths were open waiting for the next mollusk to come to eat,” the two said. “He’s been bullied for the rest of his life and thought, ‘Pack this in, it’s time for the blobfish to have a moment in the sun.’
In addition to mollusks, blobfish also eat custodians such as crabs, lobsters and sea urchins.
Instead of skeletons and scales, blobfish have a soft body and sagging skin.
Nine of the 10 candidates for Fish of the Year are considered vulnerable, according to the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust. This includes blobfish that are vulnerable to deep sea trolls.
New Zealand also has a Bird of the Year contest hosted by the conservation organization Forest & Bird. The latest winner to crown last September was Hoiho, a rare penguin species.
