The ocean never stops surprising us with the insane creatures found dwelling beneath the surface. Like space, scientists still have so much of the ocean left to explore, and there are dozens of animals that have yet to be discovered. Sometimes, we encounter the scariest of sea creatures when we least expect it. It doesn’t necessarily require fancy research equipment or submarines. It can be as simple as being in the right place at the right time when one of these animals reaches the shore.
In a small village in the Philippines, the villagers are usually pretty familiar with most of the sea life they come across. At least, they thought they were. Tales had been passed along of a mysterious and large sea creature that had been spotted along the coast. While his existence was thought to be a legend, it turns out the creature is very real! This monster made an appearance in the town, and he’s not quite as terrifying as you would expect.
The creature is called an oarfish, and one had washed up on shore, much to the shock of Libon’s residents. Due to his size, the 13-foot long and 110-pound sea creature captured the attention of beachgoers, and it took a lot of effort to pull this gigantic fish out of the water! The creature invited comparisons to a mythical creature known as the Bakunawa, which is thought to be the cause of eclipses. The oarfish has no scales, can sense a shift in the Earth’s movements, and is typically found in the tropical depths near the Philippines. Their sightings might be where the Bakunawa lore originated.
There’s no need to fear, though; the oarfish only consumes plankton! If you really want to be amazed by this fantastic beast, you have to see it in action. Check out this video of an oarfish on the go, share this magnificent animal with your friends, and leave your thoughts in the comments!
