My octopus monster? Tall tales have given these creatures a bad rep

When it comes to myths about scary beasts of the deep, there's no pod like a cephalopod, writes Mila de Villiers

01 November 2020 - 00:00 By Mila de Villiers

"I remember the day it all started. Seeing this really strange ... thing," local filmmaker Craig Foster narrates in his Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher (https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/2020-09-06-netflix-doccie-flawlessly-captures-unique-bond-between-sa-diver-and-octopus/). Foster's documentary, which follows the connection he forges with this specific member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda, drew attention to octopuses' intellect, their habits, and marine conservation. And damn, was Mzansi there for it!..

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