Rare Mola Mola Sighting In Daytona Beach, Florida, Rescued Successfully

A rare sighting of a Mola Mola, also known as a sunfish, has been reported in Daytona Beach, Florida. According to a Facebook post from the Volusia Sheriff's Office, the massive fish became stuck between the beach and the sea wall on February 3. Deputies from the sheriff's office responded to calls about the stranded fish and were able to free it after several attempts.

The Mola Mola, which is the heaviest of all the bony fish, can grow up to 14 feet vertically and 10 feet horizontally, weighing nearly 5,000 pounds. Its clumsiness and large size made it difficult for the fish to maneuver itself back into the ocean. ---cam footage from Deputy Urquhart and another deputy shows the efforts to free the fish.

Initially, the deputies tried to tug the fish out to sea with their hands... but it was clear that this was not possible. They then decided to use a rope to pull the massive creature. After several minutes of struggle, "they were finally able to free the Mola Mola." According to the Volusia Sheriff's Office, "it is not usually sea walls that cause issues for Mola Molas.".. but rather human-created problems such as drift gill nets and sea trash ← →

Reference: Found here

On Feb. 3, a Mola Mola swam close to the shore of Daytona Beach, Florida, and ended up stuck between the beach and the sea wall, according to a Facebook post from the Volusia Sheriff's Office . Deputies from the sheriff's office responded to calls about the cornered fish and found the Mola Mola on its side facing a sea wall. At times, beached fish can maneuver themselves back into the ocean. Unfortunately, several factors, including the fish's inherent clumsiness and large size, worked against the Mola Mola in this situation.