Bald eagle makes narrow escape after octopus it tried to eat catches it in a death grip

A bald eagle on Canada’s west coast nearly bit off more than it could chew when it was nearly drowned by an octopus it was trying to eat – only to be saved by a group of salmon farmers in the nick of time.

The group had been returning to their float house just off the northwest tip of Canada’s Vancouver Island last Monday when they heard screeching and sounds in the water beneath them.

Upon further investigation one of the farmers, John Ilett, discovered a ‘full-sized eagle submerged in the water with a big giant octopus in the water trying to drag it down.’

The giant Pacific octopus, which had turned a dark red color, had wound its tentacles around the eagle, which was floating desperately at the surface, clamping it in a death-grip.

A bald eagle on Canada’s west coast nearly bit off more than it could chew when it was nearly drowned by an octopus it was trying to eat – only to be saved by a group of salmon farmers in the nick of time

The giant Pacific octopus, which had turned a dark red color, had wound its tentacles around the eagle, which was floating desperately at the surface, clamping it in a death-grip

‘At first we just watched and we didn’t know if we should interfere because, you know, it’s Mother Nature,’ Ilett, who works at Mowi West Canada, told CTV News.

The team watched the incredibly rare encounter unfold for around five minutes. But realizing the eagle was likely to drown, the crew finally decided to step in.

Getting himself closer to the showdown, Ilett used a pike pole to drag the octopus over to the boat, where the crew helped him haul to two creatures aboard.

‘I was able to just latch on to the octopus and give it a little tug,’ he said. ‘It released its grip … which gave the eagle just enough time to get to shore.

‘We weren’t sure exactly how it was going to go down when I tested the pole.’

Getting himself closer to the showdown, Ilett used a pike pole to drag the octopus over to the boat, where the crew helped him haul to two creatures aboard. The group then disentangled the bird tentacle by tentacle before tossing to octopus back in the water

The group then disentangled the bird tentacle by tentacle before tossing to octopus back in the water.

Ilet said he’s been working on the water for more than two decades, and though he’s witnessed a number of memorable moments during that time, he says the December 2 encounter outranks them all.

‘It’s moments like this why I love my job and being out in the environment where I can work and live,’ he said. ‘It’s just amazing.’