Happy World Octopus Day! On October 8, today celebrates one of the earth’s oldest creatures.
This mollusk is best known for its eight arms and ink-squirting abilities. However, there is so much more to know about this fantastic creature.
Octopus fossils date back over three hundred million years. This means that the octopus is older than the dinosaur!
OCTO-FACTS
• There are three hundred species of octopuses
• There are five hundred million neurons in their brains and arms!
• Octopuses come in all colors, shapes, and sizes
• Octopuses have three hearts
• A rare type of octopus has tentacles that glow in the dark
• Some octopuses live in shallow waters while others live 2.6 miles below the surface of the ocean
• The largest octopus on record weighed one hundred and fifty-six pounds!
• The smallest octopus is smaller than an inch long and weighs less than one gram!
• Their mantle changes color so that it blends into its surroundings
• An octopus can swim nearly twenty-five miles per hour for short distances
• They mainly eat mollusks, crustaceans, and even smaller species of octopus
• Some species of octopus lives in every ocean in the world and along every coast of the U.S.
• The female octopus lays up to four hundred thousand eggs
• Large octopus only live up to five years
Many people are enamored by the octopus and for a good reason. There is simply no other creature on earth, quite like the octopus. Some consider them the most intelligent being on the planet.
Besides being super smart, the octopus is likened to Houdini. Since the octopus doesn’t have an internal skeleton or a protective shell, it squeezes through narrow openings.
Lacking any bone structure, an octopus has even been known to escape from a jar with a closed lid. They indeed are unique and unusual animals!
HOW TO CELEBRATE
Many zoos, aquatic parks, and marine sanctuaries hold special events educating the public on the octopus.
Additionally, the celebratory day kicks off International Cephalopod Awareness Days.
Learn more about these amazing sea creatures to celebrate the day. This article from the BBC, called The Alien Brains Living on Earth, is a great place to start.
Feel free to read books about the octopus. Some recommended ones include:
• An Octopus is Amazing (1990) by Patricia Lauber (for kids ages 4-8)
• Octopus: The Ocean’s Intelligent Invertebrate (1992) by Roland C. Anderson et al.
• Gentle Giant Octopus: Read and Wonder (2002) by Karen Wallace (for kids ages 4-8)
• Octopus! The Most Mysterious Creature in the Sea (2013) by Katherine Harmon Courage
If you’ve never seen an octopus, find a zoo or an aquarium that has one and go check it out.
Post a cool video about the octopus to social media. When doing so, use #WorldOctopusDay.
HISTORY
The first World Octopus Day was celebrated in conjunction with Cephalopod Awareness Day. The Octopus News Magazine Online (TONMO) founded World Octopus Day.
Today celebrates its diversity, conservation, and biology. They chose the eighth day of the month to show appreciation for animals with eight appendages.
What is your favorite species of octopus?
#WorldOctopusDay
@ringostarrmusic
@BBCFuture
@tonmodotcom
@nichecinema
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