Starting the New Year with a rare discovery, a marine wildlife team successfully rescued a massive, 1-ton sunfish found in Dry Dock!
Cape Town, South Africa (06 January 2026) – The New Year started with an incredibly stunning discovery in Sturrock Dry Dock!
The Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, including members from Marine Wildlife, Collections, Dive School, and Curatorial teams, successfully responded to a record-breaking 1-ton sunfish rescue after the animal had managed to find itself stuck in the dock.
While the ocean sunfish, also known as the common mola, is one of the world’s largest bony fish, this wasn’t the first time one had wandered into this specific area. However, this particular one is reportedly the largest and heaviest sunfish the team has ever encountered!
Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation Marine Wildlife Manager, Martine Viljoen, said that the rescue offered a striking reminder of the incredible size these creatures grow to, and a powerful way to start the New Year through collective teamwork in support of marine wildlife rescue efforts.
“Seen through the eyes of our rescue team, these moments offer a unique, behind-the-scenes glimpse into our response to a sunfish measuring approximately 1 ton, 2.32 m in length, and 2.50 m from fin tip to fin tip, being carefully secured and lifted out of dry dock by Teemane Cranes,” said Martine who also shared stunning images of the rescue.
She further expressed her gratitude to the crane company that generously donated their crane and operator time, making this rescue possible, and to Dock Master Johan Coetzee for alerting the aquarium foundation team to the sunfish’s presence during dock drainage and facilitating a successful, collaborative rescue.
Safely rescued and recovering, this giant of the ocean certainly made for an incredible start to the New Year!
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