A diver swims with a huge ocean sunfish, or Mola mola, off the coast of San Diego. They are the largest of the bony fish and often get mistaken for sharks due to their dorsal fins. They feed on jellyfish and plankton and are curious of humans, as seen in the photo. One threat to molas is drift nets, which they often get caught in, and garbage such as plastic bags that they mistake for jellyfish, their favorite food.
Climate change is also a threat as it is to all sea life. According to the Center for Ocean Solutions, some ocean areas have acidified to levels known to cause harm to ocean life. Also decreasing pH levels from CO2 acidosis are responsible for shifting the ecological balance of plankton and other bottom dwelling species. “Many Pacific Ocean areas may become uninhabitable due to sea level rise, coastal inundation, shifting rainfall, collapse of fresh water supplies, or changes in the migration patterns of food species,” says the Center for Ocean Solutions.
Credit: Daniel Botelho/Barcroft Media
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