Somehow, a large orange octopus has been riding a mako shark off the coast of New Zealand. Researchers are mystified.

The octopus in question was no lightweight. It was a Māori octopus, the largest octopus species in the Southern Hemisphere.

It shows an octopus hitching a ride on a shark, somewhere in New Zealand. And it also has researchers perplexed. Check it out ...

An octopus was filmed hitching a ride on the back of a mako shark in the waters off New Zealand, and researchers are a little ...

Oh my god!" an observer exclaims Wednesday Davis/University of Auckland An octopus got to rest its many legs when it ended up aboard a mako shark for a leisurely ride. In a video captured in ...

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.

New Zealand scientists stunned to find surprise rider atop a leisurely swimming mako shark. Scientists from New Zealand were ...

The mako shark landed on a Churchys Charters NZ fishing boat in the waters near Whitianga, New Zealand Kelli Bender is the Pets Editor at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2013.

That was the case when a team from the University of Auckland in New Zealand noticed a 10-foot-long shortfin mako shark adorned with an unexpected passenger. “What was that orange patch on its head?

Researchers in New Zealand saw a colorful blob on top of a shark’s head. When they looked closer, they realized it had eight arms. By Melissa Hobson When she spotted the mako shark in the ...

Shortfin mako sharks are the fastest shark species in the world, reaching top speeds of up to 46 mph (74 km/h). They can grow as long as 12 feet (3.7 m) and weigh as much as 1,200 pounds (545 ...