Divers Used Up Some Of Their Precious Oxygen To Help A Coconut Octopus Replace Its Plastic Cup Home
A tiny coconut octopus, a plastic cup, and a team of divers in Indonesia turned a routine underwater encounter into a surprisingly moving rescue. The scene is cute at first glance, but it also says a lot about how far ocean pollution has spread.
The octopus had made a home in a disposable cup, even though that kind of shelter can leave it exposed and can put other sea life at risk too. The divers used some of their own oxygen to help it find a better place to hide, and the octopus was not exactly eager to give up its old home.
By the end, the little creature had a safer shell, and the plastic cup was finally out of the picture. Read on.
The remarkable thing was the octopus's choice for its protective home
He was sheltered from predators by a flimsy disposable plastic cup
The divers said that this specific species of octopus instinctively protects itself from predators through the use of mobile homes
They usually go for discarded shells
But this time, it grabbed a plastic cup that wasn't even supposed to be there
That made the octopus look protected, but the cup was doing it no favors.
While the adorable octopus felt safe inside the cup, other predators could see clearly through it, defeating its protective purpose
The divers felt it prudent to find a safer mobile home for the octopus
Predators are also at risk of ingesting the cup if they try to eat the coconut octopus
So the divers started offering it better options.
For more ocean surprises from rare depths, check these stunning discoveries from parts of the ocean rarely reached.
They showed the octopus many options for a mobile home
But it was a picky client
They had to be mindful of their oxygen, and finally, the octopus seemed to be satisfied with this perfect shell!
It moved to the shell but couldn't part ways with the plastic cup
It tried to take it to the new home
But eventually found the courage (or wisdom?) to ditch it!
That was the moment the little move finally became a success.
Moving houses is such a bittersweet moment
The divers gave the new homeowner another shell
360° protection is the best security, after all
Look at it inspecting for damages and potential weak points!
Satisfied with the safer and more eco-friendly home, the octopus bid goodbye
The clamshell home is just the perfect cocoon for the vulnerable octopus
The divers shared that they found the coconut octopus 20 meters underwater. Human plastic pollution is so severe that it's penetrating even deeper into our seas.
The video of the divers helping the coconut octopus may be adorable, but knowing how dire our environmental crisis is, it is also alarming. It's not yet too late to save the Earth, but like the octopus feeling a false sense of security with its plastic cup home, we are vulnerable to a predator of our own making.
Want more eerie deep-sea weirdness like glowing creatures in an almost alien world? Read this deep-sea lineup of strange glowing animals.
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