In La Jolla, California, kayakers and snorkelers stumbled upon a rare deep-sea oarfish, capturing the attention of marine scientists.
The oarfish, measuring about 12 feet long, was found Saturday in La Jolla Cove, north of San Diego, a rare sight in shallow waters.
Typically residing in the deep ocean, oarfish are filter feeders, living several hundred feet below the surface and feeding on plankton and crustaceans.
Since 1901, there have only been around 20 sightings of oarfish along California’s coast, making this discovery particularly notable.
The oarfish is now being studied by researchers at NOAA and Scripps Oceanography to uncover more about this mysterious species.
Scientists will perform a necropsy to determine the cause of death. The specimen will then be added to Scripps' Marine Vertebrate Collection.
Known as the "doomsday fish," the oarfish is often seen before disasters like earthquakes, though no scientific link has been established.
Once research is complete, the oarfish will join the world’s largest deep-sea fish collection at Scripps, contributing to future marine studies.