Octopus snatches coconut and runs

[Tanuki]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8408233.stm

"Underwater footage reveals that the creatures scoop up halved coconut shells before scampering away with them so they can later use them as shelters.

Writing in the journal Current Biology, the team says it is the first example of tool use in octopuses.

One of the researchers, Dr Julian Finn from Australia's Museum Victoria, told BBC News: "I almost drowned laughing when I saw this the first time."

He added: "I could tell it was going to do something, but I didn't expect this - I didn't expect it would pick up the shell and run away with it."

(more at link, including video and pics)

[SIMPLYB1980]

1. Cool.

[Hamlette]

2. cracks me up k and r

[mike_c]

3. cephalopods are SMART....

The video is awesome!

[Raine]

4. Smart octopus

I like it! :thumbsup:

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

5. I'd like to be...

under the sea
in an octopus' garden
in the shade!

[JHB]

25. I've got a love-el-ly bunch of co-conuts...

And he does, too.

[bluedigger]

6. That's just spineless.

[Tanuki]

9. They caught him red-handed, x 8! eom

[ohheckyeah]

7. LOL

that's funny as hell.

[mainer]

8. I don't think I'll be eating octopus anytime soon

this makes them seem a lot more like us

[dysfunctional press]

13. i will.

i LOVE the baby octopus appetizer at the sushi restaurant we go to.

[Tanuki]

15. I haven't eaten octopus since I saw a TV special about them and learned that they

can figure out how to open a jar! And then another octopus can learn to do the same vicariously, just by observing the first one do it. That seemed way too clever for me to eat.

[jmowreader]

18. I've seen better...

A university research lab somewhere (most likely on the coast since they were working with marine animals) had two aquariums sitting near each other. One contained an octopus, the other some fish. The fish were disappearing and no one could figure out why...so they put a video camera in the room. The octopus was pushing the lid of his tank open, crawling out, ACROSS THE FLOOR to the tank with the fish in it, grabbing one then going home. Fucker even knew he had to shut the lid on his tank so no one would suspect he was being a bad boy.

I wish I had a link to it, but it was pretty kewl.

[Liberal_in_LA]

22. They are pretty smart

[roguevalley]

24. his little feet are adorable. this is wonderful. so wonderful.

[Solly Mack]

10. K&R

Neat

[Hekate]

11. "I almost drowned laughing when I saw this the first time." That is ROFLMAO hilarious. ...

I knew they were smart, but this beats all. :rofl:

It tried to take the camera away at the end, didn't it?

Hekate

[dysfunctional press]

12. i 'fought' an octopus for a shell on a night dive in cozumel.

the octopus won.

[boobooday]

14. That's amazing! And hilarious!

Thanks for posting.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

16. Octopus that walk like spiders on the Ocean floor?

Isn't this a first?

[PDJane]

17. Thank you..........

That's amusing and delightful!

[blogslut]

19. Wow

I find that bit of film to be very uplifting - pun intended but actually, really uplifting.

[malaise]

20. Great story

Saw this on BBC.

[Gabi Hayes]

21. rachel just teased it...will show it later

[Jamastiene]

23. "That's my coconut. Gimme it!"

:rofl:

K&R. Octopuses are cool.