Kleptomaniac octopus flees with camera

[Cetacea]

Octopus flees with camera


What can be best described as a kleptomaniac Octopus was videoed as it stole an underwater camera off the coast of Wellington.

Wellington man Victor Huang wasn't going to let an audacious octopus get away with his brand-new digital camera.

The amateur camera man and nature enthusiast was diving near the Wahine Memorial between Breaker Bay and Moa Point on Wellington's south coast yesterday when he spotted the "cheeky" thief.

Putting his camera up close to get some footage as the octopus clung to a rock behind a clump of kelp, it suddenly thrust out a tentacle, grasping the camera.

"Out of nowhere it just completely shot straight for me," he said.

In an initial panic, Mr Huang said he "freaked out" for a bit to free his arm before realising the octopus only clung to the camera.

More here

Great video though I can't for the life of me remember how to embed it, there's one on youtube too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EZpagll8Fo

[angelfishy]

Whoa!! Nice!