Octopus News: Thousands of Dead Octopuses Wash Up on Portugal Beach

From: BBC.co.uk

Thousands of dead octopuses have washed up on a beach in northern Portugal, in what is being called an environmental disaster.
They cover a 5-mile stretch of Vila Nova de Gaia beach - no reason has yet been found for their appearance.
The authorities have warned the public not to eat them.

Um...generally when thousands of animals mysteriously turn up dead, sane people don't eat them. I dunno, maybe they do things differently in Portugal.

You can view the carnage in the video below...sad :(
NOTE: Video is incorrectly labeled "squid", however you will see that they are octopuses.

Video: Unique and Fascinating Octopus!

Octopus strange behavior, Passing cloud display from Matteo Guardini on Vimeo.

Video Description
During a night dive in Philippines, I filmed a strange octopus.
It was in 1,5 meters of water in sand and rock bottom.
Its size resemble those of the blue ring octopus.
I was very impressed by his behavior.
Compared to the other octopuses, it did not camouflage with the bottom but it relesed a strange skin effect.
Frequently a dark row start from its head and goes down till the front arms like a flash.
I had the impression that he told me: be careful, I am dangerous!
This effect is called "passing cloud".

The Octopus: Earth's Most Fascinating Creature

They have captivated man's attention for thousands of years, inspiring art, literature, worship, and mythology. The octopus, who has been called by many names over the past several thousand years is a creature shrouded in mystery. And it is no secret: man is merciless to the allure of a good mystery.

In Tahiti you may hear stories about Rogo-tumu, a beastly demon of the sea who drags unsuspecting men to the ocean floor. In the Bahamas, they tell tales of the Lusca, a gargantuan tentacled monster that can change color in the blink of an eye. Norwegian fisherman warn of the terror wreaked upon their fleets by the Kraken, a colossal cephalopod with a destructive nature.

Science tells a different story. Yet all of these mythological beasts are based on a very real animal: the octopus. Perhaps the most fascinating creature on the face of the planet.

If you love a good mystery and have a penchant for the absurd, then stay tuned as we continue to explore and celebrate everything octopus!