They were rewarded with a face to face meeting with several, although the murky water and low light at this depth made it difficult to film perfect video footage of the encounter. These scuba divers in the Galapagos Islands have descended to a depth of 30m (90 feet) to look for these shy and elusive animals. They drift on ocean currents but they are also capable of cruising speeds of 3.2km (2 miles) per hour. Scientists are studying the mola mola and their migration habits, only recently learning that they often move as much as 26km (16 miles) in a day. This is more young than any other vertebrate in the world. The mola mola is known for being a prolific breeder, with the female laying up to 300 million eggs at one time. This makes them difficult for scuba divers to see and the close sighting of one, even for a few moments is very exciting for underwater adventurers. The mola mola prefers to spend a lot of time in deeper and colder water, often where visibility is poor. They spend much of their time at more than 200m (600 feet) below the surface. They dive to extreme depths t evade sharks and other animals. They are able to swim quickly for short distances with rapid flapping of the two fins on the top and bottom of their body, but the mola mola is not designed for escape from any determined predator. This contributes to the notion that they are slow witted fish. Their mouths are perpetually open as they lack the ability to close them. Once believed to eat primarily jellyfish, scientists are now understanding that this is actually only a small portion of their diet. The mola mola eats jellyfish, along with other fish, but their slow speed and clumsy construction make it difficult for them to eat anything but the slowest moving prey. Shaped like a giant disk with no head and no tail, it is a wonder that they can propel themselves through the ocean. They reach an unbelievable 2200kg (almost 5,000lbs). They grow to gigantic proportions and they can reach a diameter of nearly 5m (15 feet).
Often referred to as the "the fish that shouldn't be" or "nature's mistake", they are seemingly constructed in a way that makes them look like they should not be able to swim. Center, Safe Streets, KVC, LifeHouse Child Advocacy Center, Ronald McDonald House, TARC, Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters of Topeka Serving Shawnee County, Boys & Girls Clubs, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, hearing health missions, and other worthy causes.Mola mola are one of the most unusual fish species in the ocean. WHY: To benefit the programs of the Sertoma Clubs of Topeka and their sponsorship beneficiaries which have included Capper Foundation, Children’s Miracle Network, The Villages, The Marian Clinic, Meals on Wheels, Head Start Programs, LULAC and East Topeka Sr. Parking: Tinman Circle, East Edge Road & Croco, south side of East Edge.
WHERE: Event: Lake Shawnee, Topeka, Kansas, south of the swim beach, South of 29th & Croco Road. ** Please Note ** Ducks will be dropped into the water at 10:00 a.m. Join a team, adopt ducks, help the community and win great prizes! Adopt your ducks on-line with a Visa or MasterCard. Your Lucky Duck Number is printed on your adoption certificate and is valid for single and/or multiple duck adoptions.
Ducks are numbered corresponding to your adoption certificate.
Ducks can be adopted for a $5.00 donation. Lucky winners will receive great prizes! You need not be present to win the top prizes. At least 10,000 “adopted” rubber ducks will be dropped into Lake Shawnee in the cove South of the swim beach, for a race to the finish line. The zoo has areas dedicated to different animals like the bears, birds of prey, jungle cats, water birds. The first indoor tropical rain forest in the United States is in Topeka Zoo which attracts several visitors all year round. If you would like to be a sponsor, donate a prize, OR if you are a non-profit who needs to raise funds!!! - please email Julie at The 26th Annual SERTOMA Great Topeka Duck Race. 635 Southwest Gage Boulevard, Topeka, KS, United States, 66606.