A research team has made an unusual discovery off the coast of Australia – a deep-sea octopus.
The octopus mistook the researchers’ camera for prey and attacked.
– It’s a unique animal that you almost never get to see, we had to share the pictures, says Professor Alan Jamieson at deep sea research centerst Minderoo-UWA.
At a depth of a thousand meters in the Nova Canton region of the Pacific Ocean, the research team from the University of Western Australia discovered the unique animal. The scientists had sent down a camera, which the deep-sea squid detected.
– The octopus, which is about 75 centimeters long, walked towards our camera when it thought it was prey, says Heather Stewart, head of the research team.
The researchers: Unique images
When the octopus realized that the camera could not be eaten, it finally let go of the researchers’ camera. The team describes it as unique to be able to capture a deep-sea octopus in a picture and immediately shared the images.
The octopus, which has two luminous tentacles that act as a searchlight- Much of the information we have today about the octopus has emerged when it was found in the stomachs of whales or caught by fishermen accidentally.
– Live sightings of these fantastic animals are rare. That makes each encounter valuable for gathering information about geographic locations, depth, and behavior. It’s such a unique animal that we hardly ever get to see, says Alan Jamieson.