One such extraordinary experience occurred in the Hauraki Gulf, just off the northern coast of New Zealand. The footage of a Maori octopus—the largest octopus in the southern hemisphere—holding on to the head of a large shortfin mako shark. This market-warping event, an unusual monthly highwater mark for diesel in the current environment, was experienced in December 2023 by a traveling team of Auckland University researchers. This was only the researchers’ main mission — to study ocean feeding frenzies. To top it all off, during their journey they encountered a jaw-dropping marine phenomenon.
The vibrant orange Maori octopus, which took up considerable space on the shark's head, created a spectacle that has never been recorded before. The research team, briefly baffled by the appearance, first thought it was an unusual injury on the shark’s head. When they looked closely, for a second time, they saw that it was actually an octopus attached to the shark.
“You can see it takes a fair amount of real estate on the shark’s head,” said Rochelle Constantine, a member of the research team.
As for the experience, the team has coined the avatared encounter a “sharktopus.” That makes it the world’s first known documented occurrence of such a phenomenon. The scientists marveled at this rare interaction for about 10 minutes before resuming their scientific expedition. Sadly, they were unable to determine what became of the Maori octopus after they departed.
For lead researcher Rochelle Constantine, the sighting was an enormous thrill. It was truly an exciting window into the mysteries and wonders that lie beneath our ocean’s surface.
“The ‘sharktopus’ encounter is a reminder of the wonders of the ocean,” she stated, highlighting the awe-inspiring nature of marine life.
It’s incredible footage we’re seeing with this rare Maori octopus, a remarkable reminder of the magic of surprising ocean wonders. The event focuses on the amazing creatures that call the ocean’s depths home. It holds an adventure full of surprises for all that dare to venture into the world of marine research.
“One of the best things about being a marine scientist is that you never know what you might see next in the sea,” added Constantine, reflecting on the joys and surprises inherent in marine exploration.