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The Amazing Octopus

Octopuses are fascinating creatures that have demonstrated complex social behavior and emotional responses. Studies have shown that they have the capacity for problem-solving, learning, and memory. They also have the ability to express emotions, including curiosity, playfulness, and even grief.
Octopuses have been observed displaying protective behaviors towards their eggs and offspring, with some species even caring for their young for extended periods. This suggests that they have a level of family connection and social bonding that is similar to what we see in other intelligent animals, such as primates.
In addition to their family connections, octopuses have also been observed engaging in social behaviors and forming communities. Some species of octopus have been observed living in groups and exhibiting cooperative behaviors, such as sharing food and defending their territory together.
Given their demonstrated emotional and social intelligence, many people argue that octopuses should not be used as a food source. The harvesting and consumption of octopuses can cause significant harm to these animals and their communities, as well as disru it the balance of the marine ecos stem.

Furthermore, the treatment of octopuses in the fishing industry can be particularly cruel. Octopuses are often caught using methods such as bottom trawling, which can cause significant stress and harm to the animals. They are also often killed in inhumane ways, such as being boiled alive, which causes them significant suffering.
The emotional awareness, family connection, and community of octopuses are all reasons why they should not be used as a food source. These animals have complex social and emotional lives, and their harvesting and consumption can cause significant harm. By advocating for their protection and conservation, we can help to ensure that they remain an important part of the marine ecosystem for generations to come.

Articles

Articles about the Octopus.

MEDIA RELEASE: Scientists Call to Stop Octopus Farming for World Octopus Day

LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA, Spain (Oct. 5, 2022) — In Defense of Animals, the Animal Save Movement, the Ocean Born Foundation, and the Interfaith Vegan Coalition, along with fellow scientists, authors, and celebrities, are urging the end of octopus farming for World Octopus Day on Saturday, Oct. 8. The public is invited to take action to protect octopuses around the world and learn more about these incredible cephalopods.

To celebrate this timely day of action, media and members of the public are invited to attend a virtual book talk with the author of The Soul of an Octopus, Sy Montogomery on Saturday, October 8 at 12 p.m. EST/9 a.m. PST.

Octopus Intelligence

“Brainy, colorful, fast, sophisticated, strange, inspiring – cephalopods have been on the planet for about 500 million years and have fascinated humans for thousands of year.” Octopus, Squid & Cuttlefish: A Visual, Scientific Guide To The Oceans’ Most Advanced Invertebrates. What is intelligence? A dictionary definition is “ the ability to learn, understand, and make judgements or have opinions based on reason.” Another definition from Johns Hopkins: “intelligence is the ability to solve complex problems or make decisions with outcomes benefiting the actor, and has evolved in lifeforms to adapt to diverse environments for their survival and reproduction.” There is no single scale on which intelligence can be sensibly measured.

Octopuses, of course fit both definitions. And they have some other abilities that we define as intelligence in humans, primates and even our dogs. But it’s a different kind of intelligence. Their body plan and lifestyle require intelligence that is spread throughout their bodies. Cephalopods are soft-bodied animals that use their brains to protect themselves as they don’t have any armor. Because of this they have elaborate sense organs, which means the brain must process lots or information. And their brain-to-body mass ratio is the largest among invertebrates.

Eight-Legged Wonders: Exploring the Fascinating World of Octopus

Most people know that octopuses have eight legs or arms. But did you know that these alien-looking creatures have nine brains? It’s little wonder these animals are so intelligent!

Octopuses have inspired movies, featured in popular songs, and appeared in legends, and in 2010, an octopus named Paul was asked to predict the result of World Cup football matches! Despite its notoriety, octopus appears in various forms as a popular dish on restaurant menus around the world.

Octopuses have been around since the Jurassic period over 200 million years ago. Today, there are around 300 species of octopuses living in every ocean on the planet, some inhabiting shallow tidal pools and others hanging out at the bottom of the deep ocean.

Read this guide to learn more about the remarkable octopus!

A symbol of what humans shouldn’t be doing’: the new world of octopus farming

The sterile boardroom, much of it taken up by a lengthy white table, is at the heart of the sprawling building in northern Spain. The corporate chatter that fills this room these days, however, is dominated by the scene playing out one floor below, where about 50 adult male octopuses are in a tank the size of a budget hotel room.

A handful of the octopuses – the fifth generation to be born in this Spanish multinational’s concrete-and-glass office and research centre – skim through the shallow waters, some brushing up against each other while others tuck into the tank’s barren corners. A low-intensity light casts a pale glow as researchers lay the groundwork for one of the world’s most controversial endeavours: the first commercial octopus farm.