A giant Pacific octopus has gained attention after borrowing a camera from two divers in Nanoose Bay, located on the east side of Vancouver Island. Underwater videographer John Roney and his diving partner Chris Mullen were exploring the area on August 5 when they encountered the octopus, which measured approximately three meters across.

Roney described the moment, saying the octopus approached them curiously after they swam by. "It sort of approached us directly, hopped, and explored my camera, and then I just let go of my camera and I let it have it for a couple of minutes," he said. The octopus's antics resulted in a captivating video showcasing its pink underbelly and sucker-covered arms, which fanned out over the camera.

Roney noted that the octopus seemed to enjoy the experience, stating, "It was carrying the camera around for a little bit, aiming it at a wall and stuff. It was doing some filming on its own." He humorously rated the octopus's cinematography skills as a "10 out of 10," adding, "Honestly, the best footage of inside an octopus' web I've seen an octopus take."

After a few minutes, the octopus returned the camera, but not before it playfully wrapped its arms around Mullen, leaving Roney to capture the moment. Roney explained that the octopus was not aggressive but rather inquisitive, using its suckers to explore Mullen's mask. "You could see it was holding on to him, but it wasn't grabbing him," Roney said. Mullen described the encounter as a "very gentle hug," expressing his delight, "This is what I was hoping for, this was what I wanted."

Roney, who has completed around 1,500 dives, mentioned that he has only had two close interactions with octopuses. He finds them to be fascinating and interactive creatures. Marine biologist Jennifer Mather, an expert from the University of Lethbridge, viewed the video and clarified that the octopus was not intentionally taking a selfie. She explained that octopuses often pick up interesting objects, which can include cameras, and place them under their arm web.

Mather noted, "The person who had the camera, of course, got pictures because the camera was still running. But it doesn't have anything to do with the octopus taking selfies. Sorry." She compared octopus behavior to that of cats, stating that while they often hide from divers, shiny underwater cameras can pique their curiosity.

Roney shared that the community's response to the video has been overwhelmingly positive. "You really see that people are fascinated by these animals because they're so intelligent and they're so curious, and they're also so otherworldly," he said. He expressed happiness that more people are becoming aware of the local marine life.