A wildlife expert was stunned when not one, but two doomsday harbinger oarfish washed up on a beach, with an earthquake hitting the very next day.
Oarfish are long, silvery sea creatures that usually dwell in the deep ocean and are rarely seen by humans.
Legend has it that spotting one in shallow waters is an omen of natural disasters, earning it the nickname the ‘earthquake fish’.
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Nature enthusiast René Villanueva stumbled across the enormous specimens as they washed ashore in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Describing the find as a “marvel”, he said in a video: “Sadly, we just saw both of them arrive seriously injured.
“They were attacked by a shark, both specimens were gravely wounded, and they came ashore in a state of agony.
“And right here, in front of our eyes, they died just a few minutes ago.”
The striking footage shows at least one of the 3.7 metre (12ft) specimens covered in gashes from the brutal attack.
Marine biologist Fernanda Raygoza, who was with René, added: “There’s a belief that when oarfish surface, it can be a sign of something unusual or far-reaching about to happen.”
The specimens belonged to the giant oarfish species (Regalecus glesne), thought to inhabit depths of around 1,000 metres (3,300ft).
It is the longest known bony fish, capable of reaching 17 metres (56ft) and weighing up to 270kg (600lb).
Despite their size, they feed on tiny plankton and are relatively abundant in the wild, as reported by Need To Know.
Giant oarfish rarely surface. Scientists believe they do so only when distressed, dying, or after storms or strong currents.
They are related to Russell’s oarfish (Regalecus russelii), known in Japan as “Messengers from the Sea God’s Palace”.
Traditional belief holds that if they appear near the shore, an earthquake could be imminent.
René explained: “The presence of these animals is known — they live here — but they usually remain deep underwater.”
In a voice-over at the end of his video, he added: “The day after we found these animals, earthquakes occurred in Russia and tsunamis around the world.”
Japanese geologist Kiyoshi Wadatsumi has suggested there may be a scientific basis for their doomsday reputation.
He wrote in 2013: “Deep-sea fish living near the seabed are more sensitive to movements of active faults than those near the surface.”
Reflecting on the encounter, René said: “It’s sad to see this outcome for such a fantastic animal. I’ve always dreamed of seeing one in my lifetime and never thought I would.
“Yet this is also part of the natural dynamic: life and death in action, the food chain at work.
“This ocean god will return to the natural world and nourish other organisms, which will continue living thanks to it.”
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