The blobfish, previously known for its unusual and somewhat unattractive appearance, has experienced a surprising turn of events. Last week, the blobfish was crowned "Fish of the Year" by a New Zealand environmental organisation, according to Sky News.
The Mountain to Sea Conservation Trust holds the annual competition to raise awareness about the country's diverse marine and freshwater life. This year, the blobfish won the title with nearly 1,300 votes out of over 5,500 cast, proving that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and highlighting the importance of even the most unusual creatures in the ecosystem.
The creature, which grows to about 12 inches (30cm) long, is known affectionately as Mr Blobby and is the official mascot of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, as per the news portal.
It has a bulbous head and loose, flabby skin and lives in the deep sea, mainly off the southeastern coast of mainland Australia, the Australian island of Tasmania, and New Zealand.
"The species is believed to be able to live to 130 years old and is slow-growing and slow-moving," Konrad Kurta, a spokesperson from the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust that runs the annual competition, told The Guardian.
"It sort of sits there and waits for prey to come very close and practically walk into its mouth before it eats them," he says. It is also a "dedicated parent", with females laying up to 100,000 eggs in a single nest, which they protect until they hatch.
The fish found fame over a decade ago after a crew member on a New Zealand research vessel snapped a photograph of the rarely seen animal. Its distinctive appearance was quickly adopted into meme culture.
The pressure of the water forces their shape into that of a regular - albeit bulbous - fish, but out of the depths they can resemble "a failed medical experiment", Kurta said.
"Regrettably, when it is pulled up ... that sudden decompression causes it to become all disfigured," Kurta says.
