Rare ‘Sharktopus’ – an octopus riding a shark – sighting caught on camera shared by New Zealand scientists

What happens erstwhile an octopus jumps connected a shark for a thrust astir town? 

A "sharktopus," of course.

The uncommon sighting, captured connected video disconnected the seashore of New Zealand and shared by scientists affiliated with the University of Auckland, shows a Maori octopus riding connected apical of a mako shark, which is the fastest successful the satellite with the quality to aquatics up to 46 mph. 

The assemblage said the December 2023 brushwood "was 1 of the strangest things University of Auckland marine scientists had ever seen. It was a mysterious show indeed… octopus are mostly connected the seabed portion short-fin mako sharks don’t [favor] the deep."

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A uncommon sighting captured disconnected the seashore of New Zealand and shared by scientists affiliated with the University of Auckland shows a Maori octopus riding connected apical of a mako shark, which is the fastest successful the satellite with the quality to aquatics up to 46 mph.  (University of Auckland)

The assemblage researchers had been looking for shark feeding frenzies successful the Hauraki Gulf adjacent Kawau Island erstwhile a mako shark with an "orange patch" connected its caput was discovered. 

The researchers launched a drone and enactment a GoPro camera successful the h2o and "saw thing unforgettable: an octopus perched atop the shark’s head, clinging connected with its tentacles," University of Auckland Professor Rochelle Constantine wrote successful a portion for the assemblage past week. 

The researchers launched a drone and enactment a GoPro  camera successful the h2o and "saw thing unforgettable: an octopus perched atop the shark’s head, clinging connected with its tentacles," University of Auckland Professor Rochelle Constantine wrote successful a portion for the assemblage past week.  (University of Auckland)

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Constantine added that the researchers moved connected aft 10 minutes, truthful they weren’t definite what happened to the "sharktopus" next, but the "octopus whitethorn person been successful for rather the experience, since the world’s fastest shark taxon tin scope [30 mph]."

"At first, I was like, ‘Is it a buoy?’" Constantine told The New York Times this week. "‘Is it entangled successful sportfishing cogwheel oregon had a large bite?’"

Researchers said the octopus was successful for "quite the experience" with the world's fastest shark. (University of Auckland)

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She pointed out, "You tin spot it takes a just magnitude of existent property connected the shark’s head," noting that neither carnal seemed bothered by the encounter. 

"The shark seemed rather happy, and the octopus seemed rather happy. It was a precise calm scene," she said.