Giant Octopus Attacks Sub

Apostata writes "As reported by the CBC, 'Salmon researchers working on the Brooks Peninsula [British Columbia] were shocked last November when an octopus attacked their expensive and sensitive equipment.' Apparently it was caught on video, but no word on when/where it will be available. Apparently this is the first documented attack." Obviously the start of something bigger.

Comments

This is not the first !

[puiahappy]

Phillipine Giant Octopus Attack in December 27 1989 read more http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~bz050/goattack.html. And some intresting information about giant octopuses can be found here http://www.gabourgeois.com/giantocto.html

Octopii are very curious creatures

[queenb**ch]

Having done more than a bit of diving, I can tell you that many octopii are very curious creatures. They seem to come in two rather distinct varieties - the very shy ones that flee and the very curious that are quite willing to investigate your mask, tanks, etc. Many octopii are also very senstive to light and color. They seem to use color to communicate with each other. Depending on the type of octopii, many are quite sensitive to light, some being attracted to and some being repelled by it.

I'm also betting that these folks had all their little lights blazing, all their little tools humming, and lord only know what else. I'm sure that they attracted the thing. Most people don't realize that octopii have problem-solving intelligence. (It's the one thing that makes me feel guilty about eating them. I guess if they were smarter they'd find a way not to taste so good) Anyway, because they're smart, they also investigate odd things. As fragile as they look, they are suprisingly strong. I've had an octopus not much bigger than my hand nearly pull my regulator out of my mouth. I can only imagine what 100lb octopus is capable of. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised they have sub left. I would suggest investigating to see if they can find out what they did to initiate the incident and "don't do that anymore."

2 cents,

Queen B

Re:Octopii are very curious creatures

[Wyatt Earp]

I've read about them in Aquariums that when they touch someone and the Human pulls back fast, they think it's play time and you get to hold tenticles for a good half hour before the critter thinks play time is over.

Off the invertibrate track, I have a Green Iguana who lives in my living room on a large stainless steel "habitrail" and that Lizard is suprisingly smart for something whose brain stopped developing about 300 MYA. He is easily as smart as a cat or a dog, but without motivation, he was very easily house broken, knows when football games will be on to watch, will indicate is displeasure with something on the radio and tell us to turn the TV on.

From what I understand Octopi are easily smarter than a cat or a dog, so the one in the video might just be trying to play with the lights and thrusters.

Re:I -clearly- need to get out more.

[B3ryllium]

I live on Vancouver Island, and the BBC knew about this before Slashdot. A minor newspaper in the UK picked up the story (at least from what I saw) a week ago, and since then it's hit (in order of my observation) BBC, then CNN, then CBC, then MyBC, then Slashdot.

Interesting how the trend flows :)

Of course, the Chirac hoax went CBC->BBC->CNN, which is even more amusing :)

Re:Video of attack

[Wyatt Earp]

I saw one of the giant pacific octopus they have at the Seattle Aquarium in 2002. We were in Seattle for a football game, so I was wearing Vikings Purple and Gold, as the Octopus came out and looked us over, it would change to the colors of what it was looking at.

My girlfriend wearing gold and yellow, the critter takes a yellow hue, then purple when it looks at me, then grey and blue as it looks my friend over. Cool stuff.

It was predicted

[jd]

No, not by Nostradamus, but by the prophet John Wyndham.

Plural of octopus != octopii

[ClickOnThis]

According to several American dictionaries, the plural of octopus can be octopuses or octopi (not octopii.) However, I was taught long ago that octopi is actually wrong, and octopuses is correct.

Well, I looked it up on AskOxford and it turns out that octopi is wrong and octopuses is customary, but neither are correct. The most correct plural is octopodes, but I've never heard anyone use it.

I used to dive (haven't in awhile) and I have yet to meet an octopus, but I have heard great stories about how curious they are of divers.

How about an octopus attacking a 4 foot shark?

[dogbreathcanada]

You can find the video at Google Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-700490962 2962894202&q=octopus+shark The octopus in that video is deomstrating the same instinct as the octopus that attacked the sub.

Re:Not so giant...

[Anonymous Coward]

http://www.lookatentertainment.com/v/v-1638.htm

Re:Fuck

[tootlemonde]

dark watery brood

Then make love in darkness,
watery brood!
I extinguish your light,
I snatch the Gold from the crag,
I will forge the avenging Ring

--Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen

flabby bloodsacks

Vampire lingo, compare

This is just one more example of how this world is tainted with the stench of uncouth bloodsacks. Enjoy what you laughingly call literature, for you are but cattle, soon to be culled on the cusp of my whetted fangs. I wait only to be converted by a dark master, and then your fates shall be sealed with my bite.

Dark Mother goddess

The love between the Divine Mother and her human children is a unique relationship. Kali, the Dark Mother is one such deity with whom devotees have a very loving and intimate bond, in spite of her fearful appearance. In this relationship, the worshipper becomes a child and Kali assumes the form of the ever-caring mother.

--Hinduism

airy realm

The land belongs to the Russians and French,
The English own the sea.
But we in the airy realm of dreams
Hold sovereign mastery.

--Heinrich Heine, Deutschland, ein Wintermärchen

Octopus == Shark Killer

[elbonian]

Talking about he Seattle Aquarium and octopuses... Hasn't anyone seen how an octopus from this aquarium exterminated some sharks?