The Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and UCT are calling on sunfish spotters to help with a citizen science project that’ll uncover what we don’t yet know about this quirky fish!
Cape Town, South Africa (12 November 2026) – An ongoing citizen science project conducted by researchers at the University of Cape Town and the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation (TOA) calls on South Africans along the coast to report their sunfish sightings for a good cause.
Recorded sightings will help researchers piece together more information about the sunfish, as there is still so much we do not yet know about this mysterious, quirky fish!
“Sunfish, known as the Molidae family, are a unique group of fish that have been poorly studied along the South African coastline despite their charisma and instant recognisability. Many gaps remain in our understanding of their population structure, diversity, and biology – critical information for their effective conservation.” shares the TOA, in its call to citizen scientists.
What we do know – thanks to these wonderful infographics above, shared by TOA – is that there are five known species of sunfish. They have thick, elastic skin that helps them zoom through water to evade danger. They weigh almost nothing as babies but can grow to be over 60 million times bigger. They are the largest bony fish in the world. They enjoy snacking on jellyfish, zooplankton and seaweed. They’re also incredible deep divers, reaching depths of up to 800 metres in the ocean!
To help researchers learn more about the sunfish swimming along our coastline, you can do your bit by reporting your sightings. Whether you spot a sunfish at sea while kayaking, sailing, diving, or find one washed up on shore – it all helps!
All you need to do is snap a few pictures, note the location (a GPS pin is ideal), as well as the time and date of your sighting. Any information about any behaviours or oddities you may have noticed will help, too.
You can WhatsApp the information to 076 092 8573, email [email protected], or add your observation to TOA’s iNaturalist project.
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