Octopus, Diver Play Peekaboo

An octopus filmed off the coast of Kalaoa in Hawaii has shown that even cephalopods can get into a game of peekaboo.

In the footage, shot last month by the GoPro camera of diver Timothy Ewing, the octopus bobs up and down behind a rock as a Ewing does the same in an effort to take the animal's picture.

It's clear from the video that the octopus is wary of Ewing and his big, light-equipped camera — but the animal is also very curious.

Watch the video below:

“Octopus are one of the more intelligent creatures in the ocean. Sometimes they are too curious for their own good. If you hide from them they will come out and look for you," the diver wrote in his online posting of the video.

Ewing explained to CaliforniaDiver.com that the encounter wasn't limited to the time captured on his GoPro.

"I was interacting with that octopus for about 10 minutes before I took the video," Ewing told CaliforniaDiver.com. "I normally mount my GoPro to my big camera housing, however I always carry a small tripod with me to use with the GoPro for stationary shots like this or selfie videos."

The octopus, found worldwide in tropical, subtropical and temperate areas, is known for its smarts and striking ability to camouflage itself. When it feels threatened, pigment cells in its skin allow it to change color instantly to blend in with its surroundings. The animals can also adapt their skin texture and body posture to further match their background.

They are solitary animals, spending most of their time in burrows dug into rocks or corals. But as this octopus shows, while they may be solitary, they clearly remain curious about the world around them.

From Discovery News