Octopus Update

The last of Heather's octopuses has passed away after laying eggs. She is out looking for more, but there are currently no octopuses in the octopus tank.

Octopuses are extremely interesting creatures with some very unique characteristics. They have eight arms equipped with suckers, eject ink, have remarkable camouflage abilities, and can swim backwards. As you can see, the octopus is worth learning a little more about.

The life of an octopus is only about one year long, dying after they mate. Octopuses eat mainly crabs and other molluscs, and occasionally fish. They hunt by enclosing their prey in their arms and injecting poison into the prey (they have strong beaks that can drill through the tough shells of crabs and molluscs).

When an octopus is startled or senses danger they can adopt impressive camouflage in an attempt to hide. They can also change color to reflect their emotional state, kind of like a mood ring. When octopuses are surprised they can eject ink as a smokescreen to aid in their escape.

For more information on octopuses click here.

Sarah
Summer Intern