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Octopi have had the long held reputation of being masters of escape, and a well deserved reputation it is. Tales of various octopi escaping their aquarium and running amok are fairly common; in fact, the Journal of Applied Animal Science has gone so far as to label keeping an Octopus in an aquarium a health risk to the octopus … in case he can’t find his way back before he dries out.
It is old news that Octopi can be taught to open jars. Just show them how, and they’ll get the gist of it. In fact, the gooey invertebrates learn so fast that most scientists believe that if they had a longer life span they might be taught some problem solving.
But I daresay they can solve problems already.
Take for example the good keepers in the Seattle Aquarium, who placed a Giant Octopus in a tank containing sharks, they were concerned that the sharks might attack the Octopus, but decided the sharks were well fed and wouldn’t be a bother. And indeed they weren’t. They kept being found dead in the bottom of the tank. After only a few days, one of the staff decided to stay behind and see what was happening. As it turned out, it wasn’t the sharks they should have worried about. The octopus was wasn’t keen on sharing the tank with such oceanic ruffians, and was … picking them off as they wandered too near. Only the video does the tale justice.
Escape artist, jar opening, shark killing octopi …
Opening a jar of goodies article.
Octopus sacking a shark video—needs Real Player.
© 2005 All Rights Reserved. Do not distribute or repurpose this work without written permission from the copyright holder(s).
Printed from https://www.damninteresting.com/retired/many-tenticled-evil-geniuses/
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interesting, more information about them and more examples about their ingenuity would be nice though.
i’ve read about these creatures before, and now (having discovered damninteresting.com) that i’m bookmarking your various articles like crazy, i’d be very glad to see something more in-depth.
in any case, thanks for your work
If afraid there is a typo in the second to last sentence: “The octopus was wasn’t”.
Interesting story though, it’s weird to realize how much we underestimate other “less-intelligent” creatures.
Opps, too bad I don’t catch my own typos before I submit them. Correction, “I’m afraid there is a typo” (hehe, sorry).
killer octopus…..:-|
That. video. was. AWESOME!
There is a video somewhere of an octopus that escapes a perplex tank through a one inch hole!
I saw that video. Now I have a valid excuse as to why they creep me out.
Hold me! I’m scared!
That would be nice to see
They really are quite fascinating creatures, they teach themselves everything (they have no mother, pack or school, what would you call it? to learn and observe from) They learn it all themselves, and they learn quickly. They will find the way out of a maze and test with a tenticle if they can fit through small areas. Then when presented the same maze they instantly know what to do. Especially some of the larger ones. Im quite curious to see how they continue to evolve… not that I would see much of a difference in my life time… But intelligent they are.