New York: Marine scientists have captured footage of an octopus restraining a tenacious shark so it could make off with all the food for itself.
Lauren De Vos, a scientist at the University of Cape Town’s Marine Research Institute, and her team were testing their baited remote underwater video (BRUV) system in False Bay in Cape Town, South Africa. The system includes a bait canister, which is connected to a camera rig so the scientists can observe sea life up close.
A pyjama shark rushed toward the canister, but the octopus held it securely in place with one arm, as it proceeded to open the container.
The sneaky cephalopod removed three cable ties to reach the food — all the while keeping the pyjama shark in its place.
Finally the Octopus wins the battle.
“It seems you can think everything through,” De Vos said, “and then the ocean finds a way to outwit you!” New York Daily News quoted De Vos as saying.
The research project is funded by the Save our Seas Foundation and the South African Environmental Observation Network.
This was the team’s second BRUV trial-run. An octopus also crashed the first test.
ANI
First Published: Wednesday, October 03, 2012, 19:59