A protective blue-ringed octopus mother guarding her precious clutch of eggs was caught on camera by a free diver in Blairgowrie, Victoria, in September.

In this video, the deadly mum is seen coiled around her mesmerising blue eggs.

According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the mother will die after her eggs hatch, as she does not eat for the duration of the guarding time. The toxins released by the blue-ringed octopus can be fatal to humans. Credit: onebreathdiver via Storyful