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.

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 ...

However, shortfin mako sharks occur more frequently and ... This tactic is called breaching. The mako shark can jump more ...

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?

A young mako lies gutted on the dock of Star Island Marina in Montauk, New York, site of an annual shark-fishing tournament. More than 60 tournaments, targeting shortfin makos, threshers ...

The team was off the Northern coast of New Zealand in the Hauraki Gulf in 2023 when they spotted a shortfin mako shark with an orange blob attached to its back. “The ‘sharktopus’ encounter ...

They are the largest octopus in the Southern Hemisphere. Even riding a huge predator like the shark, a shortfin mako, this hitchhiker occupied a lot of room. “You can see it takes a fair amount ...

So in order to replace that energy they need to eat a lot of food. To ensure a meal, the Mako shark implements certain tactics when hunting. It will often attack and bite off the tail of its prey ...

WASHINGTON— The highly imperiled shortfin mako shark was denied federal protection today by NOAA Fisheries, which stated that a listing under the federal Endangered Species Act is “not warranted.” In ...

A shortfin mako shark, the fastest-swimming shark in the world, was caught on camera with an octopus catching a ride on its back off the coast of New Zealand.