Two rare deep-sea oarfish washed ashore on a beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, at the end of February. Crowds of tourists gathered. One fish was already dead. Another was struggling in shallow water. A video of the scene circulated widely on social platforms, and the recording was confirmed as genuine.
Tourists tried to maneuver the live fish back into deeper water. Some described the encounter as extraordinary. Several reported that after being pushed back, both animals swam away. Footage shared online shows beachgoers guiding the elongated, ribbon-like creature as waves rolled over it. The clip highlights the unusual nature of seeing these normally elusive fish at the surface, according to the New York Post.
The simultaneous sighting of two oarfish is considered extremely rare. The species typically inhabits the ocean’s “twilight zone” and the abyss, living at depths up to almost 1,000 meters (3,200 feet). Encounters with live oarfish are uncommon, and seeing more than one at a time is described as a true rarity. Reports from the beach varied. Witnesses estimated the pair at roughly 9.1 meters in length, and the scarcity of such events adds to the fascination that surrounds oarfish whenever they are sighted, according to BuzzFeed.
Centuries-old folklore
Their sudden appearance revived centuries-old folklore that casts oarfish as omens. In popular culture and local legends, particularly in Taiwan and Japan, oarfish are nicknamed “earthquake fish” or “apocalypse fish.” In Japanese folklore they are sometimes called “doomsday fish.” Beachings or near-shore sightings are linked to prophecies of earthquakes or tsunamis. Such superstitions have traveled widely on social media whenever oarfish turn up in shallow waters or wash ashore.
The world’s longest bony fish
Scientists state there is no clear scientific evidence for a direct link between oarfish appearances and natural disasters. A 2019 U.S. scientific journal study found no significant correlation between recorded oarfish occurrences and seismic events. Researchers note that oarfish near the surface are more plausibly explained by illness, strong currents, or other natural causes. Historical records underline their elusiveness. A 2018 study published in the Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences documented just 19 instances of oarfish washing ashore or being sighted along the California coast over a century.
Known scientifically as Regalecus glesne and sometimes called the “herring king,” oarfish are the world’s longest bony fish. Typical adults measure between 5 and 7 meters. The record specimen stretched to 17 meters and weighed around 200 kilograms. They have flat, ribbon-like bodies with metallic silver coloration and a red dorsal fin that runs the length of their form. They feed on small plankton and pose no danger to humans.