Hitchhiking through the world's oceans Researchers film octopus riding a shark
These are unique recordings: In a bay off New Zealand, researchers have filmed an octopus using a shark as a ride. Is it doing this on purpose? Science is faced with a mystery.
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- Researchers from the University of Auckland film a mako shark in the Hauraki Gulf in northeast New Zealand and recognize an orange spot on its head.
- Drone footage confirms their suspicions: an octopus is clinging to the shark and apparently using it as a ride.
- The unusual pair of octopus and shark are quickly nicknamed "Sharktopus" - just like the title of the 2010 horror film.
It is common knowledge that octopuses are clever animals. The fact that they use sharks as swimming cabs is completely new.
New Zealand researchers were therefore amazed when they observed a shark carrying an octopus on its back in a bay in the north-east of the island.
Riding the fastest shark in the world
How the octopus became a free rider and why is still a mystery to the researchers. It is also unclear whether the shark took the stowaway along voluntarily.
The fact is, however, that the octopus didn't take just any shark for its swimming companion, but precisely the species that is considered the fastest in the world.
blue News not only shows you the fast ride on the shortfin mako in the video, but also another underwater scene in which an octopus's attempt to swing itself onto the shark's back failed.
