Octopus snatches coconut and runs

Well, who would have believed it..

We've been so focused on chimpanzees using tools and birds using stone to crack nuts and shells.. we never expected a species of octopus to have technology too...

It's things like this that makes you wonder just how many more of our discarded items are used by the rest of the natural world.

Just how did one octopus learn to do this? How did the rest pick up this trick?

In my opinion, it just proves that creatures have the ability to think, feel, organise and determine their lives just as we do.

Our days of believing that we are the only creatures with the ability of awareness and deep thought are numbered.

An octopus and its coconut-carrying antics have surprised scientists.

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."

The bizarre behaviour was spotted on four occasions.

news.bbc.co.uk...

Wow, that is very interesting! i've never heard of this, and i'm like a major ocean buff!

that's great. now octopi are going to develop nuclear arms and sart a war with humans!

reply to post by LocoHombre


I think they would win any arms race...

Especially when they have several more arms than us already

I think this is a huge step forward in our understanding of life and its abilities..
we are so narrow minded sometimes..

It's things like this that give you that wake up you never quite expected.

reply to post by Extralien


Octo cool man. He's like OOOOOOhhhh nonononono this puppys mine
now. I got plans for this sucka. nah ah no way you 8 get in this back.

That was really cool, looks like he was using it for a home

reply to post by intothelight


Yes it is being used as a home and as a defense too

I wonder how long it will be before they evolve to wear a shel like this all the time..

Are we seeing evolution in progress...

How long will it be before an almost complete shell is used to be permantly fitted and the octopus runs around like we see in the vid on the link?

Geez, a cephalopod picks up a coconut and runs. Big deal. Hermit crabs do something like that.

Now, if it could like, open a screw top jar or something, then I'd be impressed.




[edit on 12/14/2009 by Phage]

reply to post by Phage


Good to see you phage,

Yes, it is clever that one octopus can open a jar to get a free lunch.
An obvious sign of thought.

But how many more octopi have learnt to do that?
How many threads were there on the cap itslef?

The difference with the sealed jar and the coconut shells is that the octopi have learnt to defend themselves, form a shelter and hiding place. Somehow this knowledge has been passed on to other octopi.

How?

The method and idea has spread, and is spreading. There is communication of some form. It could be a case of 'monkey see, monkey do' yet that still means that their thought process goes further than just one octopus working out how to get a screw cap off.

I don't think it's so much the case of "what can an octopus do" but rather the ability to learn, think, work out and even share (somehow) something that has been discovered which is important here.

This is the coolest thing I've seen in a while!

That octopus is using a tool! I mean... that's amazing. Freakin' amazing it's THAT SMART.

I definitely expect to see that animal's genes perpetuate! There ya go Darwin. lol

Edit: I can't help but crack up when he picks the dang thing up and runs off with it. Octo-tank-apus!

[edit on 15-12-2009 by muggl3z]

Octopus already use empty sea shells that are large enough like the conch. This isn't new. It's just a new observation of useable material.

Octopus can do much more complicated things than this.

reply to post by LocoHombre


I couldnt help it, Star for you!

Interesting thread though, Should have made reference to those animal funerals aswell.

I love seeing these kind of things! I am an avid scuba diver and when you see octopi in the ocean, you do not mess with them. The are smart enough that if you touch them they do not just wrap around your arm or leg and stay there; they will go strait for your face and rip your regulator out of your mouth and mask off your face! I wonder what other things these amazing creatures can do that we have not seen yet?

eh, most people go about their day rather mindlessly, considering that I'd guess that octopus, monkeys, dolphins ect. are indeed pretty stupid.

I started a thread about a bunch of new things discovered in the sea and we have some video of the coconut using octopus here

Ever see this video?It takes animals using tools to a whole new level.
video
Sorry I can't embed vid.

reply to post by Extralien

As a matter of fact, many octopi do the jar trick (google "octopus open jar").
And my point was that octopi really are remarkable critters.

reply to post by genius/idoit


Let's see if i can get this google vid on here.. more used to doing youtube ones though..

Google Video Link

reply to post by Phage


Indeed they are phage.

They obviously learn very quickly. Brain size isn't everything

Quite astonishing really. Makes you wonder what else they could come up with given more of our every day items.

Wonder what they built out of bits of sunken ships?

I knew this would be here. Thought about it too over many a chilled seafood salad. lol Squid are not too bright (though I am sure they have other undiscovered skills - besides calamari)
The octopus on the other hand is very intelligent. Found this out sending them through mazes...they are as smart as a cat.

Divers see octopus collect items of interest and gather it outside their dens as sort of ornamentation. There seems to be no other reason. This is how Beatles came up with the song "Octopus Garden"
Watching it open a jar reminded me...in the VI I saw hermit crabs who took discarded film canisters as their shell.
One fellow was walking around in a jelly jar so I could see the little muscle that is all they are. I got him a nice whelk shell and he was as happy as we all imagine a clam.

Hermit crabs exchange shells in a bizarre ritual a certain night of the month all lining up on the beach in the moonlight, largest to smallest. When they are all assembled they switch shells... (and they all rolled over and one fell out!) No. I don't know what happens to the one on the end. I saw it on a nature show that happened to be filmed in the remote location of Francis Bay, St John in the USVI...Hey this is down the road! I said at the time. So that is how they do it.

note: Pigs are as smart as dogs.



[edit on 15-12-2009 by rusethorcain]

Fascinating... yes / But should this really be in ATS?

How does this go along the lines of Fragile Earth?

So far... judging by the discussion and the amazing video posted by Phage... I would think this would be better off in BTS.