A fisherman off the coast of Progreso, Mexico, was left fighting for breath after an octopus latched onto his face, with footage showing him desperately trying to wrestle free from the animal. The clip, filmed in the port on the Yucatan state coast, was published in local media on September 23.
The octopus wrapped its tentacles around the fisherman's face and head as he tried to prise it away with both hands. His friend continued laughing while filming him pulling hard at the animal. Still struggling to free himself, the fisherman bent over the side of the boat toward the water before the octopus finally released its grip, allowing him to pick it up and throw it onto the floor of the boat.
Similar Incident in the Philippines
According to local reports, the fisherman later said he had felt as though he was suffocating. The footage follows a similar incident reported in August, when fisherman Jesser Cervantes struggled to remove an octopus from his face off Puerto Princesa, in the Philippine province of Palawan. Jesser struck the animal with a bamboo stick to loosen its grip before throwing it back into the sea. That encounter happened on July 10, with Jesser later saying: “The octopus I caught was very hard to handle. It almost ripped my face.”
Octopus Intelligence and Size
Octopuses are among the planet's most astonishing animals, following a completely different evolutionary path to intelligence than mammals. At the top end is the Giant Pacific Octopus, which typically weighs around 15kg (33lb) with an arm span of about 4.3 metres (14ft). The largest scientifically documented specimen reportedly reached 71kg (157lb), while some fishers have claimed even bigger “monsters”. At the other extreme is the Wolfi Octopus (also called the star-sucker pygmy octopus), which can grow to just 2.5cm (1 inch) long and weigh less than a gram - smaller and lighter than a 1p coin.
Scientists say octopuses are highly intelligent, but their brains are unusually “decentralised”, Smithsonian Magazine explains. While they do have a central brain, around 60% of their roughly 500 million neurons are in their eight arms, meaning each arm can taste, touch and move with a level of independence.
Tool Use and Escape Artistry
Octopuses have been seen using tools, including carrying coconut shells or rocks as makeshift armour. They can solve puzzles and manipulate objects to get food. In aquariums they're notorious escape artists, with stories of octopuses learning routines, causing mischief like squirting water at lights, and slipping out of tanks to explore. They can also appear affectionate.
Studies and aquarium staff have reported that octopuses can recognise individual humans and react differently depending on who approaches. Some will come to the surface, change to brighter colours and gently wrap arms around a handler's hand to explore, and they've even been seen “playing” with trusted people. If they don't like someone, they may hide or spray water.
