Giant Pacific octopus shoots video of itself after claiming digicam from B.C. divers

When it involves cinematography, a large Pacific octopus that borrowed a digicam from two divers earns a strong “10 out of 10.”

Underwater videographer John Roney stated he and his longtime diving buddy Chris Mullen went out on Aug. 5 to Nanoose Bay on the east aspect of Vancouver Island, a famend spot for giant octopus. 

Roney stated they got here throughout a number of, however one “particularly large” octopus — as massive as three metres broad, arm to arm — caught their consideration. 

It was resting beneath a ledge, however instantly confirmed curiosity in them after they handed by, he stated. 

“It sort of approached us directly, hopped, and explored my camera, and then I just let go of my camera and I let it have it for a couple of minutes,” Roney stated. 

The resulting video was a mesmerizing show of the creature’s pink underbelly, its sucker-covered arms fanned out like an umbrella over the digicam. 

“It was carrying the camera around for a little bit, aiming it at a wall and stuff. It was doing some filming on its own,” laughed Roney, “It was even kind enough to use its suckers to turn it off after (the camera) was running for about three minutes.”

Roney, a Vancouver Island-based underwater videographer who has been working as a documentary filmmaker for a few years, stated the animal’s digicam work was glorious.

“Ten out of 10 underwater videographer for the octopus,” Roney stated. “Honestly, the best footage of inside an octopus’s web I’ve seen an octopus take.”

“Better than me by far,” Mullen quipped. 

Roney later posted the video on-line, giving the octopus a credit score. 

The footage has obtained 1000’s of likes and feedback.

After the animal was completed with the digicam, it jumped onto Mullen with its arms round him and suckers on his masks.

Roney stated he was in a position to seize the “hug.” 

Rather than being aggressive, the octopus appeared curious, utilizing its suckers to discover its surroundings, Roney stated. 

“And so you could see it was holding on to him, but it wasn’t grabbing him,” stated Roney. “Chris looked like he was having a good time.”

“It was a very gentle hug,” recalled Mullen concerning the shut encounter. “This is what I was hoping for, this was what I wanted.”

Roney stated he has completed about 1,500 dives through the years, however has solely had two shut interactions with an octopus. 

Giant Pacific octopuses are fascinating, interactive animals, and each single time he encounters one, he cannot get sufficient of them, Roney stated. 

Octopus are very good, biologist says

Victoria-born marine biologist Jennifer Mather has watched the video, and stated the octopus wasn’t intentionally taking a selfie despite the fact that its work was lovely. 

Mather, an octopus skilled with the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, stated when an octopus finds one thing fascinating and doubtlessly edible, it would choose it up and put it beneath the arm internet, which is precisely what’s seen within the video. 

“And the person who had the camera, of course, got pictures because the camera was still running. But it doesn’t have anything to do with the octopus taking selfies. Sorry,” stated Mather. 

Mather stated the animals are very good in different methods, likening their personalities to cats. 

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In most conditions, once they see divers who crowd round them, they will sneak away or conceal, however an underwater digicam with shiny, contemporary lights may very well be fairly fascinating to them, making them surprise what they’ll do with it. 

“Because octopuses do play — not social play, but object play,” stated Mather.

Roney stated the neighborhood response to the video has been unbelievable. 

“You really see that people are fascinated by these animals because they’re so intelligent and they’re so curious, and they’re also so otherworldly, right. They’re so different from anything that you’d see on land,” he stated. 

“And it makes me happy to see people seeing our local marine life here.”