Cachalot the Fediverse WhaleA deeply unglamorous and rarely seen creature that spends most of its life in mud has pulled off a last-minute upset by winning the title of New Zealand Fish of the Year.
With a maximum length of 15cm, the Northland mudfish was the smallest winner to date. It was also the first freshwater fish to take out the title, and so obscure it was only discovered in 1998.
The Northland mudfish was not even in the top ten at the competition's halfway point, but surged ahead in the final 24 hours - bumping the longfin eel, or tuna kūwharuwharu, out of the top spot.
