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    The Sideshow

    Video: Octopus crawls out of water and walks on dry land

    Check out this video of an octopus literally crawling out of the water and dragging itself across dry land in pursuit of a meal. A family with a camera was lucky enough to be on the scene and captured the whole thing on video:

    If you're curious to learn more about the sea creature's possible motivation, there has been some great research on the understanding of octopus intelligence recently, including this surprisingly moving article in Orion magazine, chronicling a researchers bond with a giant Pacific octopus named Athena.

    As it turns out, walking on land in the octopus kingdom is not as unique as you might think:

    Some would let themselves be captured, only to use the net as a trampoline. They'd leap off the mesh and onto the floor—and then run for it. Yes, run. "You'd chase them under the tank, back and forth, like you were chasing a cat," [Middlebury College researcher Alexa] Warburton said. "It's so weird!"

    Octopuses in captivity actually escape their watery enclosures with alarming frequency. While on the move, they have been discovered on carpets, along bookshelves, in a teapot, and inside the aquarium tanks of other fish—upon whom they have usually been dining.

    However, it's quite unusual to capture video of a walking octopus in action. Part of the reason that studies on the creatures have been so limited, aside from their brief three-year life spans, is that they are notoriously shy, usually avoiding contact not only with humans, but with any other creatures, including fellow octopuses.

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    • FRANK S  •  6 mths ago
      While this one was crawling about, two others were silently, methodically going through everyone's wallets without being noticed.
    • Choice  •  6 mths ago
      "no intelligent life out here...back to the water"
      • Ankoku Hikaru 6 mths ago
        Nice one. XD
      • Sheryl 6 mths ago
        It was a good thing crab was on the menu. The last place we ate seafood, the restaurant did not serve crab. My poor husband went hungry.
      • James 6 mths ago
        When I had to listen to the people in the background, I thought the same thing...
    • apothecary  •  Richardson, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Octopi wall-street?
    • THE BANISHED  •  6 mths ago
      Most likely a scout.....prepare for the invasion!
      • J. 6 mths ago
        There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: there is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits.
      • Jose Vazquez 6 mths ago
        He's probably like "Ha! Nothing much to invade here."
      • Django 6 mths ago
        LOL I read this in Hellboy's voice xD
    • Roel  •  Manila, Philippines  •  5 mths ago
      'stig
    • Owen  •  6 mths ago
      Salmons crossing the streets and now this!?

      must be for Black Friday!!

      -- BTW, check the site on my pic if you are over 5'8". It's a cool club.
    • Taipan  •  San Antonio, United States  •  6 mths ago
      If they stay on land long enough they eventually evolve into members of Congress.
      • Alan P 6 mths ago
        Don't be silly. The reverse would be the case as members of congress are a lower life form.
      • zippy 6 mths ago
        don;t insult the octopus
      • LacrosseGirl 6 mths ago
        As soon as I read that I heard Steve Carell going "Boom. Roasted."
    • Jason B  •  6 mths ago
      Well, I, for one, welcome our new Octopus overlords.
    • Rusty Shackleford  •  6 mths ago
      It pulled itself out of the water, looked around, saw there was no intelligent life here and went back. Can't say I blame him.
    • tommy  •  San Luis Obispo, United States  •  6 mths ago
      octopuses have no bones, can predict the results of the World Cup and now they can walk? we are all going to die.
    • Star Carlton  •  6 mths ago
      It was just divorcing it's wife - I heard she was a crab.
    • Kel  •  Mount Laurel, United States  •  6 mths ago
      They are well known for doing this. One - in a science lab - used to climb out of his tank, make it across the room to another tank, crawl in, eat the creatures in the other tank, and then scoot back into his own tank. It wasn't until the scientists filmed him one night to finally understand what was happening to their other fish!!
    • KVL  •  Denver, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Wow! I am amazed at the octopus' walking out of the water and how smart it was to get back after a while of walking on land. Smart octopud! Never seen an octopus get out of the water. Simply AMAZING! Thanks to the family who captured the footage for sharing.
    • Liz  •  New York, United States  •  6 mths ago
      The Cephalapods are walking on land! CTHULHU IS COMING!
    • Charlie  •  Los Angeles, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Salmons crossing the streets and now this!?

      must be for Black Friday!!
    • HR Puffnstuff  •  6 mths ago
      Why does this give me the creeps? I wonder if they feel that way about us when we get in the water with them? yikes.
    • ChrisS  •  6 mths ago
      I already saw this on SpongeBob.
    • Shick  •  6 mths ago
      In a 1000 years these octopus will evolve into those green alien Overlords from the Simpsons.
    • David H  •  6 mths ago
      I guess if you spend your entire life in the water its nice for a change.
    • fd  •  Los Angeles, United States  •  6 mths ago
      this video is way better than yesterdays mom who video her kids faking messing up flour
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