Dozens of boaters spotted a giant sea creature swimming in the waters off the coastal town of Wareham, Massachusetts.
The creature looked so big and bizarre that they grew concerned, thinking it was some kind of lost or injured shark or a seal … or some type of species totally unknown to mankind.
The Wareham Department of Natural Resources received so many calls that it launched an investigation into the mysterious animal.
The experts quickly realized the strange-looking creature is a sunfish.
Sunfish are generally harmless … and they can grow up to 11 feet long and weigh upward of 5,000 pounds!
They’re typically spotted in the autumn months and can get caught in coves or get left behind in high tides.
According to the Cape Cod Times, “[Sunfish] have a tall dorsal fin that can conjure the John Williams theme from Jaws when spied by nervous swimmers. However, they tend to swim on their sides, so the dorsal will come in and out of the water as they navigate about. So when the dorsal fin goes up and down, it’s not a shark. Sharks swim straight ahead with dorsal remaining above water.”
“We have checked on it, and it is doing normal sunfish activities,” the Wareham Department of Natural Resources wrote on Facebook. “It’s swimming. It is not stranded or suffering. The sunfish is FINE. Don’t be jealous just because its not swimming weather anymore!”
Then the department issued its plea: “PLEASE STOP CALLING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THIS SUNFISH!!”
See the sunfish for yourself in the clip below.
Source : https://www.littlethings.com/giant-ocean-creature-massachusetts/