Divers Gently Convince Octopus To Give Up His Plastic Cup In Exchange For Seashell

Oct 26, 2020

In a video posted on April 25th, 2019, a group of divers assists this small coconut octopus in selecting another shell instead of using a plastic cup for protection.

Eventually, the divers coerce the instinctual invertebrate into trading the plastic cup for a sturdy shell. The video was filmed in Lembeh, Indonesia, in December of 2018. 

Plastic waste is a huge polluter of our oceans, and these divers saw it firsthand. In this footage, one octopus has used a plastic cup instead of a shell. Diver Pall Sigurdsson wrote in his Youtube video caption:

"We spent a whole dive and most of our air saving this octopus from what was bound to be a cruel fate. The coconut octopus, also known as veined octopus, is born with the instinct to protect itself by creating a mobile home out of coconut or clam shells...We found this particular octopus at about 20 meters under the water, we tried for a long time to give it shells hoping that it would trade the shell. Coconut octopus are famous for being very picky about which shells they keep so we had to try with many different shells before it found one to be acceptable."

The divers try to convince the octopus to switch because the cup is not only dangerous to the octopus, but other marine life as well. Diver Sigurdsson wrote on this particular topic:

"This particular individual however has been trapped by their instincts and  [has]  made a home out of a plastic cup they found underwater. While a shell is a sturdy protection, a passing eel or flounder would probably swallow the cup with the octopus in it, most likely also killing the predator or weakening it to a point where it will be soon eaten by an even bigger fish." 

Although the octopus is timid at first, it eventually becomes comfortable with the divers. While one of the divers shoots a video of the interaction, another provides a series of shells for the octopus.

Unfortunately, the octopus doesn't seem too sure about the first shell. He reaches out a tentacle to feel the texture and size of the shell but isn't impressed. In fact, the diver has to offer over five different shells before the octopus finally settles on his favorite.

Eventually, he ditches the plastic cup for a more suitable form of protection.

What did you think of this miniature trade operation? If you found this video interesting, show it to a family member or friend who loves animals!