Things That Make Me Smile No.137: The Amazing Octopus

Like many Victorians, I am fascinated by the octopus even though they’ve never appeared in my steampunk adventure, The Steamship Chronicles. This is a truly alien species with apparent intelligence and amazing adaptability. However, I had not known this particular adaptation was possible until now. I can just imagine Sam’s curiosity should she come face to face with such a creature, though I suspect she’d go looking for gears faster than she’d accept a water creature could leave its habitat so thoroughly.

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2 Responses to Things That Make Me Smile No.137: The Amazing Octopus

  1. jjmcgaffey says:

    I knew they could manage short periods out of water – after all, the ones that escape from their tanks do so. I can’t tell (with the “artistic” camera angles this video uses) if this octopus is breathing air or holding its breath – there seems to be one in-air puff of breathing apparatus, but that’s all I can see. Actually, this is a display in the wild of the technique that’s been seen in aquariums, where (in at least one instance) an octopus was getting out of its tank and going hunting in other ones.

    Hmmm – some investigation makes the octopus escapes likely, but not well documented. Lots of “I was told”, not so much video or eye-witness reports. Interesting!

    • Margaret McGaffey Fisk says:

      Yes, on the escapes, though I’d thought them a very short time between nearby tanks or up the filter tubes not strolling across “dry” land.

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