A diving center in Lanzarote managed to spot a sunfish (Mola mola) last April in one of the many dives they make off the coast of Puerto del Carmen. Since 2015, it has been included in the Red List of Vulnerable Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as it has some predators such as sharks, orcas and sea lions, which mainly attack young sunfish. In addition, the action of human beings with the fishing of this animal also endangers its survival.
As can be seen in the video, the animal was at a considerable depth while swimming peacefully. It is the heaviest bony fish in the world and its appearance may seem somewhat strange due to its flattened shape.
According to the diving center, "they are sighted in cold water seasons and, in this case, it was a giant sunfish that was almost three meters long and that some specimens are seen in Lanzarote on an occasional basis."
It can reach up to 3.3 meters in length and weigh between 247 and 2,000 kilos. In addition, its body has several shades of colors, between gray and brown, and it has a very thick skin without scales and covered with a kind of layer of liquid with a slimy appearance with a texture similar to that of sandpaper.
Its distribution includes the temperate and tropical zones of the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, so it extends throughout the planet. As for its diet, it is based on jellyfish and zooplankton, but it also eats crustaceans, algae and fish larvae.