Rare Blanket Octopus Sighting Stuns Fishermen on South Australia’s Coast

Two fishermen on St Vincent Gulf off the coast of South Australia were left in awe after encountering a rare sight that hasn’t been seen in nearly 30 years.

Jakyb Sharman and a friend, while fishing between Ardrossan and Price, noticed what initially appeared to be a plastic bag floating in the water, prompting them to investigate.

Upon closer inspection, they were astonished to find that the ‘plastic bag’ was, in fact, a magnificent octopus, a species later identified as the elusive blanket octopus.

Describing the encounter as unparalleled in his 14-year fishing career, Sharman shared videos of the mesmerizing creature on social media, sparking widespread interest and fascination.

The University of South Australia‘s marine ecologist, Zoe Doubleday, shed light on the rarity of spotting a blanket octopus in its natural ocean habitat, especially in the open waters south of Sydney and Perth.

While these cephalopods typically inhabit warm subtropical and tropical waters, their presence in the cooler South Australian coast is deemed exceptional, possibly indicating unique environmental conditions or migration patterns.

The last documented sighting of a blanket octopus in Australian waters was near the Great Barrier Reef in 2022, emphasizing the significance of Sharman and his friend’s observation in the Gulf of St Vincent.

Doubleday mentioned that the species’ appearance in South Australia, particularly in the Gulf of St Vincent where it was last seen in 1985, raised questions about its health and environmental factors influencing its range expansion.

With a lifespan ranging from three to five years, these majestic creatures, characterized by their distinctive blanket-like tentacles, are known to retreat to deeper waters when threatened, a behavior unique to female blanket octopuses.

Sharman, reflecting on the once-in-a-lifetime encounter, urged others who might come across such extraordinary marine life to observe from a distance and refrain from disturbing their natural habitat to ensure their well-being.