It’s no secret that octopuses (octopi?) are incredibly intelligent.
Do a quick search on google or YouTube and you’ll see amazing moments from these eight armed, bulbous headed, ink squirting, boneless animal.
They have been known to perform almost human-level feats of intelligence and seem to be masters of problem-solving.
There have even been cases where an octopus was able to escape a plastic jar by opening it from the inside.
Most people can’t find their way out of a ditch. Just saying.
Somehow the little guy knows how to twist the lid and I don’t know about you, but that would be well outside the bounds of my ability.
Hopefully, I will never have to escape from the inside of an underwater jar.
Cause if I do find myself in one… Well that’s just bizarre, isn’t it?
But would an octopus recognize if it’s being helped?
It turns out, it would!
This incredible video features one particularly smart (and grateful!) octopus who gets helped out in its time of need.
When the tide went out, this adorable little tike was left high and dry.
In the same way that I would be in trouble in an underwater jar, this smart guy was left in a spot of trouble without the water that he thrives in.
Hey, it happens.
You and I have gotten out of tight spots too.
Until one helpful beach goer came to its rescue!
Scooping our scuttling little friend up in a plastic container, he carries him back down to the water and gently releases him once again.
What a good two-armed Samaritan!
Looking at him all unwell and covered in sand it’s hard to tell the octopus even is an octopus and not a lonely brain stranded on the sand.
See, it’s not about the quantity of arms but how you use them.
When he enters the water it still takes some time for our tentacled pal to revive.
It must have left him feeling pretty bad being dried out in the sand, and it takes a few minutes for him to even move.
Take note of his color too, as he looks so pale and washed out.
Can you imagine being this tentacled guy yet not having control over your situation?
All those appendages and not a single bit of luck.
As he begins to come back to life, his camouflage begins to come back and he develops this amazing pattern.
Now that’s a healthy-looking octopus! It begins slowly crawling bit by bit and stretching its tentacles out.
Gotta’ get the blood flowing again.
The ocean can be a nasty place.
It seems to be recovering well! But this octopus is not one to just swim away without saying thank you…
Slowly, it makes its way back to the bootie of its helper…
…and says thank you by reaching out a tentacle!
The octopus lingers with its tentacle on the swimming shoe like an old friend putting a hand on its buddy’s shoulder.
Some people should take note of this. It’s proper to say thank you.
Just laying it out there.
Once again our little 8-limbed friend regains its color and gains this dazzling camouflage pattern.
It’s like he broke free from captivity and is now willing to show off just how beautiful he actually is.
It never ceases to amaze how complex these bizarre and interesting creatures are.
They’re like cute little aliens in our own seas!
At least they have good manners, as this little dude shows!
Have you ever seen such an adorable act of gratitude from an ocean-bound survivor?
I know I haven’t!
Clearly this is a sign that the wee octopus not only understands that it has been helped by this charitable person, but has the wherewithal to take a minute to reach out to him.
If that’s not a sign of intelligence I don’t know what is.
So the next time you’re out for a swim and see one of those ocean dwellers in trouble, reach out with an arm and help them.
You never know.
Watch the full video below to witness this heart-warming aquatic gesture!
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