The oarfish was found on the beach in Løkken in North Jutland.
© Rick BrokThe oarfish was found on the beach in Løkken in North Jutland.
A Dutch family came across a special sight when they went for a walk on the beach in Løkken, North Jutland, last week.

A two-meter-long fish lay in the sand, and it turned out to be a so-called herring king.

This is only the fourth time that a herring king has been recorded in Denmark, explains Kristina Ydesen, chief biologist at Nordsøen Oceanarium.

- It's a really exciting and unusual find. We don't know much about the species, and therefore every find is an incredibly valuable contribution to science.

- Therefore, the herring king is now being sent for further investigation, and we look forward to seeing what answers it gives us, says Kristina Ydesen in a press release.

The herring king is a long and narrow fish that lives in tropical and temperate areas in all seas, and it is therefore extremely rare in Danish waters.

In "fairly fresh and fine condition"

The found herring king, which is missing its head, is currently at the Nordsøen Oceanarium in Hirtshals. It is in "fairly fresh and fine condition".

However, the plan is for it to be transferred to the Danish Natural History Museum, which will be responsible for the studies of the fish.

The herring king can grow up to eight meters long and lives in the "free waters" of the ocean down to a depth of 500 meters. It is unknown how old they can live.

The name herring king is believed to originate from an old superstition, where it was believed that the herring king helped lead herring to the coast, writes Nordsøen Forskerpark.

(Translated by Google)