Brave Octopus Filmed Hitchhiking on a 10-Foot Shark

Most animals would think twice before interacting with large sharks, many of which are the ocean‘s top predators. That wasn’t the case for this octopus. In 2023, scientists spotted an eight-armed cephalopod riding on a 10-foot mako shark—and their video of the bizarre journey is now available to view. You can watch it above.

According to The New York Times, marine ecologist Rochelle Constantine and her colleagues were on a research trip along the northern coast of New Zealand when they noticed a shortfin mako shark in the water. The cartilaginous fish had a giant orange mass on its back. Constantine initially feared the object was tangled fishing equipment, a buoy, or even a large bite. Once the researchers got a closer look with a drone and an underwater camera, they realized it was a Maori octopus that had hitched a ride on the mako shark’s head. 

This odd pairing was cleverly named “sharktopus.” It’s rare for the two species to interact because they dwell in different parts of the ocean. Per the University of Aukland’s blog, shortfin mako sharks typically stick around the water’s surface, while octopuses travel on the sea floor. Therefore, scientists are at a loss to explain the scenario. Abigail McQuatters-Gollop, a marine ecologist at the University of Plymouth in England, told The New York Times, “It is almost impossible to speculate how, or why, this shark and octopus might have come together or what the nature of their connection might be.”

Maori octopuses are the largest octopuses in the Southern Hemisphere, reaching about 1 meter (3.28 feet) in length. Shortfin mako sharks are known for being one of the fastest fish in the world, with top speeds of 45 miles per hour. Reaching such speeds also allows them to propel themselves several feet into the air from the water. 

The researchers had to move on after 10 minutes, so they don’t know how things ended between the shark and octopus. The fish could have eaten the cephalopod, but hopefully, they just went their separate ways. 

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