Australianresearcher Julia Finn said she felt gobsmacked when she watched avideo she had just filmed. In it, a small octopus was taking twohalves of a discarded coconut shell away. This small animal draggedthe shells 20 meters and then made a spherical shelter out of them.As she tried to contain her laughter, Fin realized that although shehad already seen many octopi hiding in shells, this one in particularwas different. Finn said she had never witnessed an octopus grab ashell and take it across the sea floor to use as a dwelling.

Withthis video from a series of dive trips and other observations,scientists are finally starting to realize how intelligent octopireally are. It has been a known fact that octopi are very smartinvertebrates because their brains and vision arehighly developed. However, this is the first time that one wasactually seen using tools.

Somescientists have debated the meaning of the word “tool” in theanimal kingdom. Now, most will agree that if an object is carriedaway by an animal for later use, then it is a tool. Researchersbelieve that octopi used to use seashells as hiding places frompredators. Eventually, humans came along and discarded coconut shellsthat were cut open for their milk or fleshy meat. Octopi were smartenough to realize that these shells made for even better shelters.

SimonRobson, associate professor of tropical biology at James CookUniversity, believes the videos and the new findings are verysignificant. He thinks that it shows the behavioral capability thatthese organism have. It’s another example where we can think abouthow similar humans are to the rest of the word. We are just acontinuum of the entire planet.