Living With an Octopus
In Living With an Octopus, we meet Heidi, a day octopus living in the home of ecologist David Scheel who’s uncovering the secrets of her personality. Unlike in a research aquarium, Heidi’s relaxed home setting lets her express herself fully, from crafting her sleeping spaces to bonding with David’s daughter, Laurel. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Natural World: The Octopus in My House, a remarkable series about a professor and the extraordinary relationship he develops with an octopus when he invites it to live in his home.
Lesson Express
Q: How does Heidi’s ability to create her own environment in the tank reflect her intelligence and adaptability?
A: Heidi's behavior shows that she can assess her surroundings and modify them to suit her needs, such as creating hidden spaces for sleeping. This demonstrates problem-solving skills and highlights how octopuses adapt to new environments even outside their natural habitat.
Q: Why might David Scheel have chosen to study Heidi in his home rather than a research aquarium?
A: By keeping Heidi in a relaxed home setting, David can observe her natural behaviors and personality, which might be suppressed in a more controlled or stressful environment like a research aquarium. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of her true character and interactions.
Q: What does Heidi’s bond with Laurel, including holding her hand for extended periods, reveal about the emotional capabilities of octopuses?
A: Heidi’s willingness to interact and hold hands suggests a level of curiosity and comfort around humans. It indicates that octopuses may form bonds or recognize individuals, showcasing emotional depth and social behavior not commonly associated with sea creatures.
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In The Underwater Adaptations of the Crab and the Octopus, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores how the crab and octopus survive. Learn how they have adapted to their environment, including hunting at night. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.
In The Octopus That Invented a Mobile Home, a veined octopus in Indonesia amazes researchers with its clever survival skills. Living on sandy ocean flats, it carries coconut shells to create a portable shelter. By using these shells to hide and ambush prey, the octopus becomes one of the rare animals — less than 1% — to demonstrate tool use and thinking ahead. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Natural World: The Octopus in My House, a remarkable series about a professor and the extraordinary relationship he develops with an octopus when he invites it to live in his home.
In Giant Creatures of the Great Barrier Reef, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores how certain animals work together to find food. Teamwork makes the dream work for these largest animals in Australia's Great Barrier Reef! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.
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