‘Monstrous’ sea creature found washed up dead on Oregon beach, video shows

A mola mola, or ocean sunfish, has been discovered washed up dead on an Oregon beach, the Seaside Aquarium reported.

The “monstrous” fish, measuring about 6 ½ feet long, was found near Sunset Beach, the aquarium said in a Saturday, June 28, news release.

Ocean sunfish can reach lengths of up to 10 feet and weigh up to 5,000 pounds, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. They are the world’s heaviest bony fishes.

The fish, which look “like the invention of a mad scientist,” feed mainly on jellyfish but also eat squid, fish, crustaceans and algae, the aquarium said.

They are found around the world in temperate and tropical oceans, according to the aquarium.

They can travel as far as 17 miles a day and dive hundreds of feet in search of food, the Seaside Aquarium said.

Molas also spend a lot of time near the surface, the Monterey Bay Aquarium said.

Sunset Beach is about an 85-mile drive northwest from Portland.

This story was originally published June 29, 2025 at 11:45 AM with the headline "‘Monstrous’ sea creature found washed up dead on Oregon beach, video shows."