World's ugliest animal declared New Zealand's fish of the year

The blobfish, said to be the world’s ugliest animal, was voted Fish of the Year in New Zealand due to its unconventional beauty, characterized by flabby and gelatinous skin.

Measuring 12 inches (30cm) in length this endearing creature earned the nickname Mr Blobby and proudly serves as the official mascot for the Ugly Animal Preservation Society.

This fish is mainly found along the southeastern coast of mainland Australia, the Australian island of Tasmania, and New Zealand. Meanwhile, with its bulbous head and loose, flabby skin, Mr. Blobby prefers the deep-sea habitat.

The blobfish emerged victorious in the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust's annual poll, garnering nearly 1,300 votes out of over 5,500 cast by the environmental non-profit group.

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The blobfish, with its gelatinous body, made a late comeback in the poll, beating the orange and roughy by almost 300 votes each.

In their deep-sea home, blobfish appear like ordinary fish. However, when they were brought to the surface, the drastic change in water pressure caused their bodies to lose shape, transforming them into soft, gelatinous creatures with a rather unflattering appearance.

Kim Jones, co-director of the trust, summed it up perfectly: the competition was a showdown between two quirky deep-sea creatures, and the blobfish's unusual charm won over the voters.