Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Unusual beach visitor Alan the octopus is internet star
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A TAYSIDE community has fallen in love with an unusual seafaring v isitor wh ich has a f fe c t i o n ate l y b e e n named “Alan”.
When Monifieth resident Sharron Phin was out walking her dog on the beach early on Wednesday, she came across a large, red octopus making its way across the sand.
Since taking a video of the unusual visitor, her children have nicknamed him Alan and the mollusk has become an internet sensation.
Sharron said: “The tide was quite far out and I was walking my dog along the beach when I almost tripped over something red and orange in colour.
“I looked and it was an octopus – when I took my phone out I noticed it was moving so I took a video.
“After doing a bit of research online I discovered they only live for 30 minutes outside the water and are often found on the sea bed so it was quite unusual to find.”
Sharron, who works at The McManus in Dundee, added: “I posted the video online and people from the local community got quite excited.
“People have actually sent me drawings their kids have done after being inspired by the video.
“It’s been a nice change to the lockdown – he has given people something to talk about.”
Nicola Pearson, a local ecologist and a friend of Sharron’s, has encouraged people who find octopuses stranded on land to phone the Scottish SPCA for help.
On her blog Wee Wild Wonders she said: “Sadly, in the case of this octopus, I never received the video until my friend was home and, by then, it would have been too late for the Scottish SPCA to have made their way there.
“However in good news, rock pools were nearby and we think it likely made it to safety as it was heading in the right direction and it was early morning, before the heat of the day.”
Scottish SPCA chief superintendent, Mike Flynn, said, “Octopuses can survive on land for a few minutes and often crawl between rock pools looking for food. Although not seen very often, they are found in UK waters. If members of the public spot an octopus on land we’d encourage them to leave the aquatic creature alone to make its way to the nearest tide pool.
“If anyone spots an animal in
Check out the footage on our website thetele.co.uk distress or that they’d like more advice on, they can always call our animal helpline on 03000 999 999. We are open seven days a week 7am until 9pm.”