For another entry into the surprising animal victory category, you should watch this video clip from Nature.

I've always been fascinated by Octopi.  When I was in 7th grade, we had to write a place for information on a particular biome.  I wrote an aquatic research center in San Diego and asked them to send me a live octopus.  Sadly, they did not.

Another odd fact:  at Shedd Aquarium we learned that they have to give octopi increasingly difficult tasks to keep them entertained/healthy.  Eventually, octopi can learn to even unscrew a jar to get to food.