World Octopus Day – It’s Today!!!

World Octopus Day is a celebration of this beautiful and mysterious creature. The celebration first started in 2014 and has been celebrated annually ever since. The goal is to raise awareness about the octopus, share some facts, and help protect them around the world.

7 facts about octopuses, source

1. Around 300 species of octopuses can be found in every ocean on Earth.
2. The biggest octopus in the world is the giant Pacific octopus, which can grow to 17 feet in length, with an arm span of almost 29 feet!
3. Octopuses can change the color of their skin in a fraction of a second. They do this to camouflage and hide from predators, to trick their prey, and to communicate with one another.
4. Octopuses and squid are both cephalopods. But while octopuses have eight arms, squid have eight arms and two tentacles.
5. Factory-farmed octopuses are kept in unnatural, cramped confinement. They are sometimes killed by submersion in freezing water, which has been known to cause a cruel, slow, and painful death. Protecting octopuses from conditions like these is one of their missions at World Animal Protection.
6. Octopuses don’t make good pets. They require huge tanks, exceptional water quality, and live prey. Because octopuses are so intelligent, they easily become bored and distressed in captivity.
7. Octopuses are highly intelligent and sentient. They can solve puzzles, use tools, learn from experience, and exhibit signs of stress and fear.

Threats to octopuses, source

Although octopuses are not considered endangered, they face several threats in the wild.

• Habitat loss and pollution – octopuses are sensitive to water quality. Their reproduction and immune systems are impacted when pollution from industrial and agricultural activities enters their habitats.
• Overfishing – octopus are targeted by fishers across the world as a source of meat and for the aquarium trade. This has led to unsustainable fishing practices and the use of destructive fishing gear.
• Octopus farming – in Gran Canaria in Spain, there are plans to launch the planet’s first high-density octopus farm. Here, around one million octopuses could be reared for food, with animal advocates around the world gravely concerned for octopus welfare.

I first learned about octopuses in 2000. I read about an octopus that was given a water bottle in his tank, and he would bounce it off the walls like bouncing a ball. He was playing! A clear sign of intelligence and, unfortunately, probably boredom. From there, I became fascinated and continued to learn about them. I also stopped eating them!

How long have you been an octopus lover, if you are one?

Here are a few of my octopus pieces throughout the years, so you can see how they’ve evolved… Prints are available for all of them in my shop here. Use coupon code: WorldOcto2025 to celebrate with 40% off!