Octopuses Make Use of a Survival Tool in Indonesian Sea

(Oita Godo Newspaper, February 16^th 2010, morning paper)

(Sydney) It was confirmed that the octopuses, which live in the open sea of Indonesia, are using the coconut shells that they found at the bottom of the sea, in order to protect themselves from being attacked by the enemies. They cover themselves by the coconut shells so the enemies cannot find them. This finding about the invertebrate using coconut shells as refuge was presented by Julian Fynn, who is a researcher from Victoria (Australia) on February 15^th.

Octopuses, which are known to dive themselves into the rock to be invisible, actually performed a survival action which are indeed inconvenient and dangerous in order to protect themselves. He considered that octopuses have the advanced ability to make use of tools.

The species that was confirmed by the investigated conducted on white-eye octopus, which originated from the coastal waters in Indonesia and Bali Island. According to the investigation, people throw coconut shells on the beach, and the coconut shells were collected and brought by the octopus as their hiding place. They transported the shells for about twenty meters away.

Fynn guessed, "At first they used similar bivalves, but then they found out that the light coconut shells are convenient to use".

Comment:

In the past we used to hear that dolphins are intelligent creatures. It is very interesting to hear about octopuses being intelligent. Indeed, to be able to think about such survival act shows some level of intelligence.

NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama

Indonesia

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APM3)