Rare ‘Sharktopus’ Sighting: Octopus Hitches Ride on a Shark in New Zealand
Sarah Johnson
March 22, 2025
Brief
A Maori octopus was spotted riding a mako shark off New Zealand's coast, baffling scientists and showcasing an extraordinary and rare moment of marine behavior.
A rare and utterly bizarre scene unfolded off the coast of New Zealand when a Maori octopus decided to hitch a ride on a mako shark, the fastest shark species in the world. The encounter, captured in December 2023 and shared by scientists from the University of Auckland, has left marine biologists scratching their heads—and the rest of us completely fascinated.
Dubbed a "sharktopus" by the researchers, the unexpected duo was spotted in the Hauraki Gulf near Kawau Island. The mako shark, capable of swimming at speeds up to 46 mph, was carrying the octopus on its head like some kind of underwater Uber. According to University of Auckland Professor Rochelle Constantine, the sighting was one of the strangest things their team had ever witnessed. After all, octopuses typically stick to the seabed, while mako sharks prefer shallower waters.
The team initially noticed the shark thanks to an "orange patch" on its head, which turned out to be the octopus itself. Using a drone and a GoPro camera, they captured footage of the cephalopod clinging to the shark with its tentacles, seemingly unfazed by its high-speed host.
"At first, I was like, ‘Is it a buoy?’" Constantine told The New York Times. "‘Is it entangled in fishing gear or had a big bite?’ It took a moment to realize what was really going on."
The researchers observed the duo for about 10 minutes before moving on, leaving the fate of the "sharktopus" a mystery. Constantine speculated that the octopus was in for quite the thrill ride, noting that the shark’s top speeds could have made for an exhilarating—if not slightly terrifying—experience for the hitchhiking mollusk.
Despite the oddity of the situation, both animals appeared calm and unbothered. "The shark seemed quite happy, and the octopus seemed quite happy," Constantine added. "It was a very calm scene." Whether this was the beginning of a beautiful interspecies friendship or just a fleeting underwater oddity, one thing’s for sure: nature is full of surprises.
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Editor's Comments
An octopus hitching a ride on a shark? That’s the kind of headline that writes itself. But what really sticks with me is how cool-headed both animals seemed during the whole thing. It’s like nature’s way of saying, ‘Relax, we’ve got this.’ Can we also appreciate how this octopus might have had the thrill ride of its life? Imagine being on the world’s fastest shark—talk about your ultimate rollercoaster!
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