Latest news with #UglyAnimalPreservationSociety
National Geographic
26-03-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
The 'ugly' blobfish looks much svelter underwater
In 2013, the blobfish was voted World's Ugliest Animal by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society in an effort to get some attention for creatures who aren't exactly panda-cute. The blobfish fit the bill, largely because most of us had only seen it in a viral photo where it looked like it was melting—and it was dead. Oh, how fortunes can change. This month, the blobfish was named New Zealand's Fish of the Year in an annual contest to promote biodiversity. But the viral blobfish that we all know and love doesn't actually look like the fish who lives deep underwater.
Sky News
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
The blobfish: 'World's ugliest animal' named fish of the year in New Zealand
The blobfish, described as the world's ugliest animal, has been voted fish of the year in New Zealand. 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. 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 blobfish topped the annual poll by the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, an environmental non-profit group, winning almost 1,300 out of more than 5,500 votes. The animal, which has a gelatinous, tadpole-like body, benefitted from a late surge in support to overtake the endangered orange roughy, another deep sea dweller, by nearly 300 votes. In their natural habitat, on the seabed at depths of about 2,000ft to 4,000ft (600m-1,200m), blobfish resemble any other fish. But when brought to the surface, where the water pressure isn't high enough to maintain their shape, blobfish morph into mushy creatures with an unfortunate appearance. The trust's co-director, Kim Jones, described the competition as "a battle of two quirky deep sea critters, with the blobfish's unconventional beauty helping get voters over the line". The winner's late run benefitted from the backing of two New Zealand radio hosts, Sarah Gandy and Paul Flynn, who encouraged their listeners to vote blobfish. "We and the people of New Zealand had had enough of other fish getting all the headlines," the broadcasters said. They said the animal "has been bullied his whole life and we thought, 'stuff this, it's time for the blobfish to have his moment in the sun,' and what a glorious moment it is!" A spokesperson for the Environmental Law Initiative, which sponsored the orange roughy in the race, said it had "no bloblem" with the result, stressing that it's "still a win" for deep-sea ecosystems and can help raise awareness about the environmental impact of destructive bottom trawling. The longfin eel, the whale shark and the great white shark were among the other fish in the top 10.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Blobfish, once dubbed 'world's ugliest animal,' named fish of the year in New Zealand
This sea creature may have just experienced the "ugly duckling" glowup of the fish world. Once dubbed the "world's ugliest animal," the blobfish – scientific name Psychrolutes marcidus – has been named New Zealand's Fish of the Year in a competition created by the conservation nonprofit Mountains to Sea. MORE: Fish species thought to be extinct for 85 years rediscovered "The blobfish had been sitting patiently on the ocean floor, mouth open, waiting for the next mollusk to come through to eat," the competition's creators wrote in a press release. "He has been bullied his whole life and we thought, 'stuff this, it's time for the blobfish to have his moment in the sun.'" The campaign was created to raise awareness about the environmental impacts of destructive bottom trawling – a fishing method that involves dragging a large, weighted net along the ocean floor to catch fish and other marine life – and the species it endangers, according to the nonprofit. Blobfish are considered deep-sea species and are often found in cold, dark habitats between 1,970 and 3,940 feet deep in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are generally known as a "pale pink gelatinous blob with a droopy, downturned mouth and large, sagging nose," according to National Geographic. MORE: Scientists baffled over hundreds of fish 'spinning and whirling' dead onto South Florida shores But their unusual appearance and physiology may be designed to withstand extreme pressure in the ocean depths, scientists say. In 2013, the blobfish was voted the world's ugliest animal species in a campaign created by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. The nonprofit aims to raise awareness for threatened species that may not be aesthetically pleasing and therefore potentially less likely to be researched or protected. "Uglier animals are neglected," the mission statement for the Ugly Animal Preservation Society states. MORE: World's Ugliest Dog competition won by Scamp the Tramp The blobfish is considered a vulnerable species due to overfishing and habitat destruction. Blobfish, once dubbed 'world's ugliest animal,' named fish of the year in New Zealand originally appeared on
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Blobfish named New Zealand's Fish of the Year 2025
March 19 (UPI) -- New Zealand's Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust announced the Fish of the Year 2025 competition was won by the blobfish, a species once voted the "world's ugliest animal." The blobfish, famous for its unusual appearance once removed from the pressures of deep water, came out nearly 300 votes ahead of the "swimmer-up," the orange roughy, organizers said. The Fish of the Year competition, voted on by members of the public, aims to highlight and promote conservation of New Zealand's native underwater species. The Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust said 5,583 votes were cast for Fish of the Year 2025, a sharp increase from 1,021 in 2024. The blobfish's campaign for the spotlight was spearheaded by More FM Drive hosts Sarah and Flynny. "We and the people of New Zealand had had enough of other fish getting all the headlines. The blobfish had been sitting patiently on the ocean floor, mouth open waiting for the next mollusk to come through to eat. He has been bullied his whole life and we thought, 'Stuff this, it's time for the blobfish to have his moment in the sun,' and what a glorious moment it is," the hosts said in the trust's announcement. The blobfish was previously most famous for being voted the "world's ugliest animal" in a vote organized by Britain's Ugly Animal Preservation Society in 2013. Other fish appearing in New Zealand's top 10 included the longfin eel, tuna, whale shark, big-bellied seahorse, great white shark, lamprey and piharau.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Blobfish, once dubbed 'world's ugliest animal,' named fish of the year in New Zealand
This sea creature may have just experienced the "ugly duckling" glowup of the fish world. Once dubbed the "world's ugliest animal," the blobfish – scientific name Psychrolutes marcidus – has been named New Zealand's Fish of the Year in a competition created by the conservation nonprofit Mountains to Sea. MORE: Fish species thought to be extinct for 85 years rediscovered "The blobfish had been sitting patiently on the ocean floor, mouth open, waiting for the next mollusk to come through to eat," the competition's creators wrote in a press release. "He has been bullied his whole life and we thought, 'stuff this, it's time for the blobfish to have his moment in the sun.'" The campaign was created to raise awareness about the environmental impacts of destructive bottom trawling – a fishing method that involves dragging a large, weighted net along the ocean floor to catch fish and other marine life – and the species it endangers, according to the nonprofit. Blobfish are considered deep-sea species and are often found in cold, dark habitats between 1,970 and 3,940 feet deep in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are generally known as a "pale pink gelatinous blob with a droopy, downturned mouth and large, sagging nose," according to National Geographic. MORE: Scientists baffled over hundreds of fish 'spinning and whirling' dead onto South Florida shores But their unusual appearance and physiology may be designed to withstand extreme pressure in the ocean depths, scientists say. In 2013, the blobfish was voted the world's ugliest animal species in a campaign created by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. The nonprofit aims to raise awareness for threatened species that may not be aesthetically pleasing and therefore potentially less likely to be researched or protected. "Uglier animals are neglected," the mission statement for the Ugly Animal Preservation Society states. MORE: World's Ugliest Dog competition won by Scamp the Tramp The blobfish is considered a vulnerable species due to overfishing and habitat destruction. Blobfish, once dubbed 'world's ugliest animal,' named fish of the year in New Zealand originally appeared on
