A content creator was recently walking along the beach on the Isle of Wight when they got the opportunity to both spot a rare sea creature and help it.
TikTok user fionathehappymushroom (@fionathehappymushroom) was enjoying a day at the beach when they spotted what turned out to be a rare curled octopus. They were later informed that this had been only the third reported sighting of a curled octopus on the English island.
@fionathehappymushroom It turns out that this is a curled octopus, and that this is only the third time it has been reported being sighted on the island. How exciting! What an amazing creature! I wouldn't normally handle wildlife but this one really wasn't safe where he was. #beachcombing #sealife #animalrescue #animalencounters #octopus #rockpool #beach #coast #nature #isleofwight ♬ Ocean Waves Beach Coast Environmental Sounds of Seagulls 21 - Rapid Fire
Despite its rarity, the curled octopus was well within its natural range of the Eastern Atlantic, Northeast Atlantic, Iceland, and Mediterranean Sea, according to The Marine Life Information Network.
The only problem was that Fiona was worried that one of the many dogs on the beach might mistake the octopus for food.
"He did not enjoy the prospect of being picked up and carried to safety, I'm afraid," she wrote. "But … I really did not think he was safe where he was, and he was so much happier when I put him back in the sea."
As human activity has done so much damage to nature and the animals with which we share the planet, an important part of caring about the environment is keeping an eye out for animals in need. This is especially the case on beaches, where marine animals can wash ashore in distress, often having been entangled in plastic pollution.
While community cleanup efforts can help remove plastic hazards from natural areas, that was not an issue here. The creature appeared to be fine, and Fiona got a nice little video out of the experience.
Their followers were also thrilled to get a look at the rare octopus.
"What an incredible sight," one commenter wrote. "I'm so pleased you managed to get him safe back in the sea."
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Definitely 👍 Another said, "Thank you for saving this lil guy, he'd obviously got a little too carried away hunting during high tide."
"Great job! Such intelligent creatures," someone else wrote.
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