10 Weirdly Human Animal Behaviours

By Stevie Shephard / August 24, 2016

4. Octopuses Make Armour

Octopuses (yes, octopuses, not octopi), are notoriously squishy.

Whilst this helps them to squeeze through impossibly tight spaces, it does leave them a little vulnerable. Different species have devised different way to keep themselves safe, from camouflage to ink weapons, but the veined octopus has taken a slightly more sartorial route.

This species of octopus lives in exposed, sand environments and so doesn't have many options for hidey holes. Instead, it builds itself a suit of armour out of coconut shells.

It carries them around by stacking them up like bowls and plopping itself in the topmost one, straightening its legs out to stand on tippytoes (tippytentacles?) and moseys about the seabed like the leaning tower of octopus.