Few phenomena capture the imagination quite like the elusive oarfish, a creature steeped in mystery and folklore. According to Japanese legends, the appearance of this deep-sea giant can herald impending doom. Recently, Southern California witnessed an extraordinary event: a dead oarfish was discovered floating in La Jolla Cove—a sighting so rare it has occurred only 20 times in nearly 125 years.
This breathtaking find came courtesy of a group of “sciencey” kayakers and snorkelers who encountered the colossal sea serpent during a routine swim in San Diego. Lauren Fimbres Wood, spokesperson for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, shared the remarkable news with us.
In a collaborative effort, scientists and lifeguards carefully transported the oarfish from the beach to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facility, ensuring its preservation for further study. According to Ben Frable, Scripps’ resident fish expert, sightings of oarfish in California are “incredibly rare,” with only 20 recorded since 1901.
A necropsy of this enigmatic creature began Friday afternoon, as researchers work diligently to uncover the cause of death.
Oarfish: Harbingers of Disaster in Japanese Folklore
The oarfish’s appearance is imbued with ancient lore. In Japanese mythology, these magnificent fish are considered messengers of impending earthquakes. This belief, dating back to 17th-century Japan, depicts the oarfish, or “ryugu no tsukai” (translating to “messenger from the sea god’s palace”), as heralds sent by the sea deity Ryūjin to warn humans of seismic events.
Historically, sightings of oarfish have been reported before significant natural disasters, such as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster. However, Hiroyuki Motomura, a professor of ichthyology at Kagoshima University, tells the New York Post that no scientific evidence supports a direct link between these events and the appearance of oarfish.
Motomura proposes that these creatures, living deep below the surface, may rise to shallower waters when their health deteriorates, explaining their often deceased state upon discovery. “I believe these fish tend to surface when their physical condition is poor, which is why they are frequently found dead,” he explains.
A Glimpse into the Deep
Oarfish inhabit the depths of the ocean, typically between 700 and 3,280 feet below the surface. Their rare ventures to the surface make their appearances all the more extraordinary and newsworthy. Reports of these majestic beings have come from diverse locations including California, Maine, New Jersey, Taiwan, and Japan.
Mystery Remains Around Oarfish Beaching
The reasons behind this particular oarfish’s stranding in California remain a mystery. Each specimen offers a unique opportunity to gain insights into this elusive species. The oarfish will be preserved and added to the Scripps Marine Vertebrate Collection, one of the most extensive collections of deep-sea fish globally, ensuring that this remarkable creature continues to contribute to scientific knowledge.
The discovery of this rare sea serpent is not just a testament to the wonders of the ocean but also a reminder of the deep-sea mysteries that still await unraveling.
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