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The giant unexpected 1000 kg ocean sunfish washed up on Maria island off the East coast of Tasmania
A rare 1000 kg ocean sunfish measuring nearly three meters has washed up on a remote beach on Maria island off the east coast of Tasmania.

When the rare fish, also known as a Mola Mola, is found, it's always in tropical waters, so when local Ian Johnstone spotted the fish on nature reserve Maria Island over the weekend, he'd never seen anything like it.

Mr Johnstone is the owner of Maria Island Walk, which is an upmarket four day guided walk.

'I suspect potential global warming issues and warmer water is to blame,' Mr Johnstone told Daily Mail Australia about how he believed the dead sunfish ended up there.

The sunfish is the heaviest bony fish species in the world, and its name stems from the fact that they more than often can be seen basking in the sun near the surface.

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The sunfish is the heaviest bony fish in the world, and can grow up to 2,5 tonne
Sunfishes are often mistaken for sharks when their huge dorsal fins emerge above the water, but they are of no threat to humans and their diets consists mainly of eating jellyfish.

'It's quite a freaky looking fish, the skin is almost like a shark, its really rough like sandpaper,' Mr Johnstone said.

He said the sunfish grows at an incredible rate, and it has been reported growing up to four meters.

Mr Johnstone said he couldn't see any injuries on the giant fish which, judging from it's 'freshness', looked like it had just been washed up.

The sunfish species reportedly only live to be 10 years old, and Mr Johnstone suspected its death to be the 'cycle of life'.