Officials in Camps Bay, South Africa are keeping their eyes on the surf in hopes of spotting a giant ocean sunfish (Mola mola) that stranded early Sunday. 

According to Eyewitness News, public safety authorities initiated efforts to move the sunfish to the veterinary surgeons at the Two Oceans Waterfront Aquarium, but before the plan could be implemented, members of the public standing on the rocks near the fish pushed it back into the water and out of reach.

Just why the fish moved inshore remains a mystery ... but at 30 kilograms (66 pounds), this Mola is definitely a juvenile (the ocean sunfish is the heaviest known bony fish in the world and can reach 2,267 kilograms or 5,000 pounds!). Officials fear rough ocean conditions will most likely prevent the young fish from swimming back out to sea.

"It appeared to be injured, in distress and [was] continually being battered against rocks in the rising high tide," reports Sea Rescue. Anyone who spots the sunfish is urged not to attempt to intervene, but rather to contact local authorities. 

Top header image: Chris Zielecki/Flickr