Appearances shouldn't be the sole basis for judgment. The blobfish, once dubbed the "world's ugliest animal" due to its soft, gelatinous appearance, is now experiencing a remarkable turnaround: recently, it was named "New Zealand's Fish of the Year" by a local environmental organization, marking a significant shift in its public perception.
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03-20, 2025This annual selection event, organized by the Forest & Bird, aims to raise public awareness about the conservation of New Zealand's freshwater and marine life. In this year's selection, the blobfish won this coveted honor with nearly 1,300 votes out of more than 5,500 votes cast, demonstrating strong public support for this unique creature.
For the blobfish, this is a victory against the odds. As early as 2013, it rose to fame as the mascot of the "Ugly Animal Preservation Society." This gelatinous fish lives on the seabed, is about 30 centimeters long, and is mainly distributed off the coast of Australia, inhabiting depths of 600-1200 meters, which makes its recent recognition even more impressive.
Although the blobfish is known for its misshapen contours, in its natural deep-sea habitat, it actually looks like a normal fish, its shape maintained by high water pressure. However, when captured and rapidly brought to the surface, its body deforms into its signature pasty shape – the very shape that earned it the reputation as "one of the world's ugliest creatures," highlighting the impact of environmental factors on its appearance.
According to Forest & Bird's co-director Kim Jones, the runner-up was the orange roughy, a deep-sea fish known for its mucus canals on its head. It was a "battle of the deep-sea forget-me-nots," a "fight between two quirky deep-sea creatures, with the blobfish's unconventional charm helping it win over voters," showcasing the diverse and often unusual inhabitants of the deep ocean.
The orange roughy was once expected to win, until several local radio station hosts began launching enthusiastic publicity campaigns for the blobfish. Local radio network More FM hosts Sarah Gandy and Paul Flynn called on listeners during last week's show: "There's a fish on the rise, and it needs your vote. We need the blobfish to win," demonstrating the power of media in influencing public opinion and conservation efforts.
The news of the blobfish's victory was warmly celebrated by the radio hosts. The hosts said: "The blobfish has been sitting patiently on the seabed, waiting with its mouth open for the next mollusk to come over and eat. It's been bullied its whole life, and we thought, 'To hell with it, it's time for the blobfish to enjoy the sunshine,' what a glorious moment!" emphasizing the importance of recognizing and celebrating the unique qualities of all creatures, regardless of their appearance.
In addition to mollusks, blobfish also eat crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters, as well as sea urchins. Instead of bones and scales, blobfish have soft bodies and loose skin, which allows them to adapt to the extreme pressures of their deep-sea environment and contributes to their distinctive appearance when brought to the surface.
According to Forest & Bird, nine of the ten species nominated for Fish of the Year are considered vulnerable by conservation organizations. This includes the blobfish, which is vulnerable to deep-sea trawling. New Zealand also has a Bird of the Year competition, organized by the conservation organization Forest & Bird. The latest winner was the yellow-eyed penguin, a rare penguin species, crowned last September, highlighting the ongoing efforts to protect New Zealand's unique and threatened wildlife.
