‘Holy Mola!’: Sunfish spotted by researchers off Vancouver Island

A Sunfish was recently seen off the coast of Vancouver Island, in Kyuoquot Sound.

Marine Education & Research Society (MERS) shared a photo of the recent sighting, which was taken by Tashi Townley on Aug. 2, 2023.

<who>Photo credit: Tashi Townley</who>Sunfish spotted in Kyuoquot Sound by Tashi Townley, Megan Komori-Kennedy and Violet Komori.

MERS says that Sunfish, or Mola, can be more than three metres long. There are two species of Mola as well, both of which can be found in the waters of BC and Alaska.

The Sunfish in the photo is an Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola), while the second species is called a “Hoodwinker Sunfish.”

MERS says people can report sightings of Mola online to help researchers learn more about them. There is still a lot to discover about these unique ocean creatures.

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