Octopus makes rare appearance at South Carolina beach

 

Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Wildlife officials in South Carolina shared video of an octopus that made a rare visit to the state's shoreline.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said in a Facebook post that Heather Leon was walking along the water with her mother in North Myrtle Beach when they spotted an octopus in the shallow water.

Leon captured video of the common Atlantic octopus resting in the water before swimming off to deeper waters.

The department the species is "native to our waters, but rarely seen inshore." The post posited the octopus "may have been warming itself in the sunny pool."

Leon said it was a powerful sight.

"It was truly a once-in-a lifetime experience, and I'm so grateful," she told the department.