The coconut octopus is an amazing creature. If you think that only humans and chimpanzees can use tools, you’d be mistaken and this video proves it.
The coconut octopus gets its name because this species is known to use coconut halves for shelter, shielding, and as tools.
Of course, the coconut octopus does not limit itself to coconuts. You can see that in the video as the octopus presented is using a discarded mollusk’s shell as its lair.
The video highlights many important characteristics about the coconut octopus. You can see the different styles of locomotion used by the octopus. You can appreciate how fast it can move when it creates a stream of water through its funnel. You can also see how it glides smoothly at a slower pace. More impressively, however, is when you see the octopus walk on the ocean floor.
Yes, the octopus can use its arms as improvised legs and stroll along the ocean bottom as it carries its tools.
The high point in the video comes when we see the octopus climb into its shell. You can see its eyes on the lookout for prey. The wait is not long as an unsuspecting crab stumbles upon the scene.
The crab did not seem to notice the octopus hidden in the shell. Suddenly, the octopus springs out of the shell and captures the crab. There is no struggle, as the narrator explains it, the moment that the octopus grabbed the crab it pierced it with its beak-like mouth and filled it with toxins to paralyze it.
The octopus swims away with the crab secured by its arms. The octopus heads to a secure location where it could enjoy its meal. As the octopus waits, the digestive enzymes that it injected into the crab, along with the toxin, begin to soften up the fleshy insides. Then it is only a matter of the octopus sucking up the nutritious interior and leaving nothing but an empty crab shell behind.
Be honest, wouldn’t eating crab that way be a lot easier and less messy?
