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A man has been attacked by the “wildest octopus” off the coast of Western Australia.
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Lance Karlson was swept by the creature and left behind with burning red prints.
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He treated the wounds with Coca-Cola and is now well.
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A father was attacked on March 18 by what he described as the “wildest octopus” off the coast of Western Australia.
Lance Karlson, a geologist and former lifeguard, was with his two-year-old daughter in Geographe Bay in Dunsborough when he spotted the creature in the shallow water, after initially thinking it was a pickaxe hitting a seagull.
Karlson filmed some footage of the octopus and posted it on Instagram, which has now been viewed more than 221,000 times.
“The octopus struck us, which was a real shock,” he told Insider.
“My reaction to the first encounter I captured on film was shock, followed by fascination. I had never encountered such an octopus, so I was mostly intrigued. Keep in mind that I was with my daughter, and “I think any father would want it to be more protective of her than to be afraid of the threat,” Karlson said.
The former lifeguard left the octopus in peace and set up a tent further along the beach for his wife and daughter.
About 20 minutes later, Karlson was swimming in the sea on his own (after swimming there “many times”) when the octopus returned – while looking at crab shells in the water about 1.5 meters deep, Karlson was over his left arm struck.
“My glasses got foggy, the water was suddenly dark and I remember being shocked and confused,” he said. “I was then beaten a second time, more powerfully, over my neck and upper back. I can only describe it as a ‘whip’ sensation followed by a sting.”
When threatened, octopuses emit an ink-like substance, and Karlson believes he may have been unknowingly in the animal’s home.
He swam back to the shore, about 25 feet away, but Karlson left a tingling red imprint on his arm, neck, and upper back.
Karlson, who has been a geologist for 13 years, and his family rushed back to their hotel room looking for something sour for his wounds – he could not find any vinegar. They finished with Coca-Cola.
“I did not really know if Coke would work, but given how sour it is, I decided it was worth a try,” he said. “It seems to be working.”
He did not go to the doctor and confirms on his Instagram stories that he is fine now, with the pain and marks that only lasted a few days.
Despite the shock of Karlson’s attack, Bryan Fry, an associate professor at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland, told CNN that octopuses generally pose no danger to humans.
“Like all octopuses, it is poisonous, but like most it is harmless to humans, and the toxins are dramatically stronger on invertebrates such as mussels and lobster,” he said.
To his surprise, Karlson’s experience made headlines worldwide.
As a geology student, Karlson studied at Cornell University in 2007-2008. “I remember being asked on other occasions by other students about the Australian animals that regularly make headlines in the US – our deadly snakes, spiders, great white sharks and crocodiles – that I could never have imagined in any of the articles!” he said.
Karlson hopes people respond to his story with intrigue and charm rather than fear.
“These are truly remarkable, highly intelligent creatures that have very strong emotions,” he said. “I think I simply came across one on a day in which it woke up on the wrong side of the bed!”
Read the original article on Insider