Blobfish voted world’s ugliest animal

The Blobfish (Photo: NOAA)

September 12th, 2013 (VOA) The blobfish has been voted world’s ugliest animal, according to the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, which announced the results Thursday at the British Science Festival.

“We’ve needed an ugly face for endangered animals for a long time and I’ve been amazed by the public’s reaction,” said Simon Watt, biologist and president of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. “For too long the cute and fluffy animals have taken the limelight, but now the blobfish will be a voice for the [ugly creatures] who always get forgotten.”

Thousands of people from around the world cast their votes online, said the society.

The blobfish live at depths of between 600 and 1,200 meters and can grow up to 12 inches in length. It suffers a significant threat from fishing trawlers – although it is inedible itself, it gets caught up in the nets. It feeds off crabs and lobsters living at the same depth.

Runners up in the contest include the Kakapo, an endangered parrot, the Axolotl, a type of salamander and the Titicaca water frog.

According to its website, the Ugly Animal Preservation Society is “dedicated to raising the profile of some of Mother Nature’s more aesthetically challenged children.”