The giant Pacific octopus is the biggest among all the octopus species.
The average measurement of one is 16 feet across, and it typically weighs around 100 pounds.
This marine animal is known to be very intelligent and can mimic other octopuses, solve mazes, and even open jars.
They live in temperate waters in the Pacific and often stay away from the shore.
So, hearing about a Giant Pacific octopus stranded on a beach and being rescued doesn’t happen often.
However, it happened on a Skagit County beach in Washington last March.
A giant Pacific octopus was found beached on the shore.
The people around the octopus quickly acted to help the distressed animal.
They poured water on the octopus.
A little girl visiting the beach with her family is credited for saving the giant octopus.
Annie England, who works with the Padilla Bay reserve, got a call from a Bay View State Park ranger reporting an octopus stranded on the beach.
“It can’t survive out of water for more than several minutes. It collapses their gills,” England told NBC News about octopuses.
Fortunately, the little girl who saw the stranded octopus helped it survive by pouring water on top of the octopus using her sand bucket.
This action saved the octopus and kept it alive until rescuers could come and help.
Other people also helped pour water over the octopus, which also helped it live.
“We would never encourage the public to try to move an octopus or touch it. But pouring water on it and calling a local aquarium or organization that you know works with marine animals,” England shared.
She said it was the first octopus rescue her and her team has done.
When they arrived at the beach, the octopus was still on the shore. “I wasn’t anticipating finding such an alive, healthy octopus,” England said.
She and her team carefully moved the octopus.
England said that they had to be conscientious about where they held the octopus while lifting it and putting it the animal in a large bin.
They were able to put the octopus in the bin successfully.
The rescuers then walked towards the water and carefully released the octopus into the ocean.
The octopus took its time feeling the water with its tentacles before it completely left the bin.
The intelligent animal was probably checking if it was safe and back in open water.
England said this type of incident is not common at all.
She hopes the octopus, or any other giant Pacific octopus, doesn’t experience anything like it again.
We are one with her in hopes that this doesn’t happen again!
While it is extremely rare for an octopus to get beached, this animal was lucky to have people around the shore when it occurred.
Fortunately, this octopus was safely rescued by responsible beach-goers, especially the little girl who poured water on the animal.
Watch the full news story on this extraordinary giant Pacific octopus incident in the video below!
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