Meet our #OceanAnimalOfTheMonth for November - the crafty coconut octopus 🥥🐙
Found in the tropical waters of the western Pacific, these medium-sized cephalopods are among the most intelligent invertebrates around. Their name comes from their ability to collect discarded coconut shells from the seafloor and use them as armour. The coconut half-shells are arranged spherically around the octopus, acting as both a shelter and a hiding place.
What makes them even more extraordinary is their unique bipedal locomotion, otherwise known as 'stilt-walking'. This allows them to walk using just two arms so the remaining six can carry the coconut shells, creating the illusion of a floating coconut.
Fast facts about the coconut octopus:
🥚 Lays clutches of 100,000 tiny eggs
🦐 Hunts shrimp, crabs, and clams in shallow waters
🌏 First spotted showing off their walking skills in Sulawesi, Indonesia
