Unexpected Moment of a Mola Mola Spotted During Sardine Run

UNEXPECTED MOMENT OF A MOLA MOLA SPOTTED DURING SARDINE RUN
WITH PIX AND VID
By Shuk Yee Tsang
An unexpected encounter with a Mola mola stunned researchers during a routine sardine run, offering a fleeting glimpse of one of the ocean’s most unusual fish.
The footage was captured by Evans Baudin, while working in Bahía Magdalena, Mexico, during the Mexican Sardine Run, where sightings of the elusive ocean sunfish are considered uncommon.
Mola molas are known for their dramatic vertical migrations, rising from cold, nutrient-rich depths to the ocean’s surface to warm their bodies before descending again.
Though often described as oddly shaped, their flat, rounded form is a highly specialised adaptation that allows them to drift efficiently through sharp temperature gradients in open water.
The surprise appearance served as a reminder that even in well-studied waters, the ocean still holds the capacity to astonish those who spend their lives exploring it.
Evans Baudin said: “Spotting a Mola mola during our Sardine Run wasn’t on my bingo card.
" Encounters here do happen, but they’re far from common, which makes moments like this especially meaningful.
“Molas undertake pronounced vertical migrations, surfacing to thermoregulate before diving again.
"Their silhouette may look unconventional, but it’s a precise evolutionary adaptation.
“Yesterday’s sighting was a valuable reminder that even in waters we explore daily, there’s always room for the unexpected.”
One viewer said: “I love this fish so much ”
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