Octopuses have been one of the most interesting animals for marine biologist to study because they are unlike any other species. They can have up to 500 million neurons and most of them are in their arms, this gives each arm a certain level of independence. They are also famous for their amazing ability to blend into their surroundings by changing color.

My Octopus Teacher is a Netflix documentary directed by Craig Foster. The documentary begins when Craig starts practicing free diving near his home on the coast of South Africa (kelp forests, False Bay, Cape Peninsula). During one of his dives, Craig notices a strange pile of shells, which turns out to be a camouflaged octopus (common octopus / Octopus vulgaris). He explains that when he saw it he felt a connection and had the feeling that this octopus was special.

Wanting to learn more about the animal, he began diving every day under very challenging conditions. Plunging into cold water without a wetsuit or oxygen tank, for a diver it can be very dangerous if even a small mistake happens under these conditions.

Craig started visiting the octopus daily to try and build trust with it while also carefully avoiding disturbing it. One day, the octopus took the initiative and touched the diver’s hand with one of its arms. As time passed, Craig kept visiting, and he became amazed by all survival strategies the octopus used.

This documentary gives us incredible images and recordings of the octopus’s daily life and capturing about 80% of its lifespan. Craig himself narrates the entire documentary, which creates a feeling of honesty and makes everything feel genuine.

At one point the bond between the octopus and the human became so strong that the octopus even began to use Craig as part of a new hunting strategy. The octopus showed that these animals may have the ability to connect with humans, sometimes it would approached Craig without having to be enticed. Every time Craig entered the ocean the octopus would come out of its den to greet him and after some time even on his abdomen.

Octopuses are very solitary animals and have unique behavior. Their form of communication may include their actions, their ability to change color, the way they move, how they use their arms, and how they exchange information with other octopuses through their suckers. They have often been compared to extraterrestrials because their nervous system is completely different from that of other mammals, octopi have also been known to use their arms and skin  to sense changes in their environments.

There are many articles discuss studies from different universities suggesting that octopuses could hypothetically become the dominant species on Earth if humans disappeared and if conditions came about that allowed them to evolve even further. Under new environmental pressures they might develop more complex problem-solving abilities and become more social. However, researchers debate whether such a civilization would remain underwater, like an Atlantis-type society or eventually exist outside the water.

Craig’s documentary offers a powerful representation of how octopuses are among the most intelligent animals in the world. It is also one of the few continuous records showing a deep and unique bond between a human and an octopus.