Park visitors at Doran Regional Park in Bodega Bay, California, recently spotted large gray creatures near a jetty, prompting concerns that sharks might be in the area. Sonoma County Regional Parks officials reported on September 10 that several visitors contacted them about the animals they saw.
Upon arrival, park rangers determined the animals were not sharks but sunfish, specifically identified as Mola tecta. The Press Democrat sent photos of the fish to Marianne Nyegaard, a researcher from New Zealand who confirmed the species. Nyegaard first identified Mola tecta, also known as the hoodwinker sunfish, as a new species in 2017.
According to park officials, “This is a very rare sighting for our coast.” They added that Mola tecta is often mistaken for its more common relative, Mola mola.
One of the sunfish died and washed ashore near the jetty. Stefan Kiesbye, who took photos of the fish and shared them with Nyegaard, told The Press Democrat: “It’s sad that it’s been washed to shore. But it was so enormous and so weird and gorgeous. It’s like suddenly you’re on another planet.”
Ariana Reguzzo, spokesperson for Sonoma County Parks, described seeing the fish as surprising. “It was pretty jarring,” Reguzzo told SF Gate regarding her reaction to encountering Mola tecta.
Officials stated that local wildlife agencies will handle the carcass and return nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Bodega Bay is located approximately 70 miles north of San Francisco.
