Scientists left stunned by drone footage showing an octopus hitching a ride on a shark’s back

Sharks are rightfully considered some of the deadliest creatures in the ocean. What makes their reputation even worse are the horrifying shark attack stories that have always threatened mankind. However, sharks aren't always that deadly. As bizarre and unreal as it may sound, a recent video has somewhat proved our point. Well, the now-viral clip, posted by the University of Auckland (@uoaweb) on their official YouTube channel, captured a brave octopus who was seen riding on a shark in New Zealand.

Calling it a "mysterious sight," the marine scientists of the University of Auckland shared that the video was originally taken in December 2023. "A 'sharktopus' in the Hauraki Gulf near Kawau Island—an octopus riding on a shark—was one of the strangest things University of Auckland marine scientists had ever seen," they added. The astonishing clip, taken from an aerial angle, filmed the tiny octopus peacefully resting on the shark's back as it swam through the ocean. What made the incident even more exceptional is the fact that octopuses mostly stay on the seabed while shortfin mako sharks "don’t favor the deep."

"Oh, it's an octopus," a female voice could be heard in the background. It seemed like the duo were best friends. In a world where a normal sighting of a shark can send shivers down the spine, looking at the giant creature being so gentle was downright staggering. "The sharktopus is a reminder of the wonders of the ocean," the overlay text on the screen read. Moreover, talking about this rare yet one-of-a-kind occurrence, Professor Rochelle Constantine said, "Marine scientists never know what they will see next. We need a thriving ocean so these extraordinary moments keep happening." The video received an overwhelming response on social media, with nearly 800,000 viewers online. 

At first, when Constantine spotted the shark in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, she was baffled to see some "orangey-brown mass" resting on its head, as reported by The New York Times. "At first, I was like, 'Is it a buoy? Is it entangled in fishing gear or had a big bite?'" But even the thought that it could be an octopus riding on the shark's back didn't cross her mind. Later, when a technician, Wednesday Davis, set up a drone to have a closer and proper look at the shark, Dr. Constantine shared that they could see the tentacles moving. Surprised by what they were seeing, they decided to call it "sharktopus." After analyzing, the team of scientists worked and identified that the little creature on the shark's back was a Maori octopus.

Notably, those octopuses are regarded as the largest octopuses in the Southern Hemisphere. "You can see it takes a fair amount of real estate on the shark’s head. You could see, every now and then, this little tentacle gets pulled in," Dr. Constantine said, recalling the rare encounter that they recorded during a field expedition to study birds and animals in the marine. So, the next time you come across fatal shark attack stories, don't forget that these wild creatures can sometimes be super adorable, proving that love knows no bounds.