The Mola Mola—or ocean sunfish—may look and swim like a tropical fever dream, but this uniquely beautiful fish can actually be found in the Pacific waters off the coast of the Great Bear Rainforest. Far offshore from British Columbia’s coast, the surface becomes warmer and a more exotic spectrum of species begins to show itself. The sunfish is one.
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Mola mola are the heaviest bony fish in the oceans, weighing between up to 1,000 kilograms (2,205 pounds). They primarily eat jellyfish, which is a good thing, as jellyfish populations are skyrocketing due to warming ocean temperatures and ocean acidification. Still, they have to consume a massive number of jellyfish in order to make up for the translucent, nutritionally-poor invertebrates.
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Pacific Wild is working to establish a Marine Protected Area around the #GreatBearRainforest, Haida Gwaii, the Scott Islands and the entire mid-central coast. Over the next few months, we will launch a film series and educational portal alongside our indigenous partners in the Great Bear, in the hopes that we can move the needle on protecting this pristine paradise once and for all. We’d love to take you along for the ride.