Blobfish: 'World's ugliest animal' is NZ's fish of the year

Known as the world's ugliest animal for its lumpy appearance, the blobfish makes a stunning comeback.

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Once dubbed the world's ugliest animal for its soft, lumpy appearance, the blobfish has made a stunning comeback: it was crowned this week as Fish of the Year by a New Zealand environmental group.

The annual competition, held by the Mountain to Sea Conservation Trust, aims to raise awareness for New Zealand's freshwater and marine life.

This year, the blobfish took home the coveted accolade with nearly 1,300 out of more than 5,500 votes cast.

It's an underdog victory for the blobfish, which burst into mainstream notoriety as the mascot for the Ugly Animal Preservation Society in 2013.