The blobfish is one of those animals that seems like it can’t possibly be real. It’s too silly, too pink, and too…aptly named to be anything that’s not straight out of a comic book.
They are real, though, and here are 6 fast facts for the curious.
6. They’re officially the “world’s ugliest animal.”
Image Credit: Amazon
In September 2013, the Ugly Animal Preservation Society asked people to vote on their new mascot, which would become the “World’s Ugliest Animal.”
The blobfish got 795 out of the 3000 online votes, besting the proboscis monkey, the aquatic scrotum frog, and public lice to win the day.
5. There is a famous blobfish.
Image Credit: Australian Museum
Mr. Blobby made the species famous in 2003, when he traveled from around 3300 feet deep and onto the deck of the NORFANZ.
The scientists gave him his nickname and snapped the iconic picture, mucous-laden snack and all.
Mr. Blobby is still around, preserved in ethyl alcohol at the Australian Museum. The bad news is, the solution has caused his trademark nose to shrink.
4. They’re pop culture stars.
Image Credit: Blobfish Cafe
Even though everything about the blobfish should repulse human beings, for some reason, we’re drawn to the ugly little buggers.
They’ve inspired songs, poems, dolls, t-shirts, and at least one cafe, which opened in London in 2017.
There you can meet a blobfish trio – Barry, Lorcan, and Lady Swift.
3. They look more normal in the water.
Image Credit: Allan Riverstone McCulloch
The blobfish lives between 2000-4000 feet below the ocean, where the pressure is at least 120x greater than it is at the surface, and when in the water they look more recognizable as a fish.
The pressure of the water provides their bodies with the structural support they naturally lack.
2. We don’t know a whole lot about them.
Image Credit: Public Domain
Because their natural habitats are so deep, there’s still a lot to learn.
We don’t know how long they live or even how the reproduce, though scientists are hot on the heels of answers!
1. They’re lazy…well, blobs.
Image Credit: Public Domain
The blobfish doesn’t eat much – there’s not much to eat that deep in the water – so the blobfish does its best to conserve energy by swimming in place and only moving to open its mouth when food moves toward it.
And they actually do eat crabs, mollusks, and sea urchins.
Those are all of the fun facts we have for today, but I’m convinced these cute boogers actually exist down there!
