A sunfish so big people thought it was part of a boat has washed ashore in South Australia.
The discovery was made by fisherman Steven Jones about 25km east of the River Murray Mouth on the Coorong.
Mr Jones’s partner Linette Grzelak, who posted the pictures on Facebook, said the stretch of beach where the creature was found is only accessible by boat and mainly used by fisheries.
“He has been a professional fisherman for years so he had knowledge of them, but had never actually seen one in real life.
“Because they were working they had to leave it and it was taken out by the tide by the time they drove back.”
She added the sunfish, at about 8ft high and 6ft long, had “rough, leathery skin”, similar to that of a rhinoceros”.
Our Park of the Month at Coorong National Park served up an unusual surprise for two fishers on the weekend – a sunfish…
Posted by National Parks South Australia on Tuesday, March 19, 2019
They are not “particularly rare” but don’t stay in one area for very long, according to the South Australian Museum.
The discovery has become a hit online due to the fish’s unusual features.
Ms Grzelak said: “I was told by a friend to post it in a local fishing group and then I have just be inundated for the last four days. I never thought that it would be as big as it has been.”
