This poor seagull learnt the hard way that the ocean’s a scary place, especially when octopuses are involved.
In a short video, shot by a family who were feeding the seagulls chips down the Richmond River, New South Wales, Australia, we see the awful moment that an octopus and a seagull got into a fight and only one walked away, or should that be swam away.
The surprisingly brutal footage shows the poor bird initially struggling as the slippery octopus begins to wrap its tentacles around the seagull’s legs.
You TubeThe two animals get into a very brief scuffle and the gull tries to flap itself free. But it’s too late and the eight legged sea creature manages to force the poor bird’s head under the water until the flapping stop and the bird floats there lifelessly – proving that in the water at least the octopus is top dog.
Apparently there have been a fair few cases of octopuses catching sea birds and eating them over the years which is pretty terrifying. Most notably scientists once watched an octopus ambush a bird while it rested on the rim of a tide pool.
WikimediaThe bird was reportedly dragged underwater and promptly eaten in a hunting success so unexpected that it earned the octopus the nickname ‘Bird Kraken’.
That said seagulls have been known to catch and eat octopuses so maybe if the bird had survived for round two things would have ended differently…
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.