WATCH SCIENTISTS RECORD AN OCTOPUS RIDING A SHARK
Rochelle Constantine saw something strange gripping a mako shark's head while on a University of Auckland ship off the coast of Kawau Island, New Zealand. The marine scientist speculated that the orange clump might have been a deep gash or that it was a mass. Perhaps it was a tangled fishing net or even a buoy? The idea that it might be a Maori octopus hitching a ride didn't occur to her.
While another coworker, Esther Stuck, threw a GoPro overboard to record the shark from below, technician David deployed a drone to investigate from above. This amazing video, which appears to be a humorous situation at first sight, was recently released by the University of Auckland. The shark's enormous, metallic dorsal fin protrudes from the waves as it moves fluidly through the water. A closer look reveals the orange octopus, its bulbous head bouncing with the water as its tentacles cling to the shark.
“This ‘sharktopus’ was a mysterious find indeed,” Constantine writes in an article about the experience. “Octopuses are mostly on the seabed while short-fin mako sharks don’t favour the deep.”
"It's absurd that these two animals should be in the same location at the same time to meet," she continued for The New York Times. How they connected is unknown to us.
The Maori octopus is just as large as this mako shark, which measured ten feet in length. The largest octopus in the Southern Hemisphere, the cephalopod may reach a height of 6.5 feet and weigh about 26 pounds. According to Constantine, "you can see [the octopus] takes a significant amount of real estate on the shark's skull."
The Mako shark, like other members of its species, possesses lateral lines throughout its body, which enable it to have sensitive environmental awareness. The shark was probably aware of the octopus's presence even as it coiled itself into a tight ball, maybe to evade discovery. Nevertheless, the shark appeared very comfortable with its stowaway companion.
“The shark seemed quite happy, and the octopus seemed quite happy,” Constantine marvelled.
It's tougher to tell what happened next. The "octopus may have been in for quite the adventure," according to Constantine and her crew, who left after ten minutes. This is because the "world's fastest shark species can reach 50 kph" (about 31 mph). She also emphasises how infrequent the "sharktopus" experience is, and how it was a moving "reminder of the glories of the ocean."
“One of the best things about being a marine scientist is that you never know what you might see next in the sea,” Constantine concludes. “By supporting conservation initiatives, we can help to ensure that such extraordinary moments keep happening.”