Octopus Cyanea, is the most common cephalopod in Hawaiian waters, and like the rest of octopi around the world they are extremely smart and sensitive to their environment. Most people don't think much of octopi, but they have been the leading starts when it comes to the most intriguing stories when it comes to aquariums. They have no bones, so they can pretty much get out of any prison, octopuses are powerful, super smart, they can walk on land, and they're already annoyed that we keep them in aquariums! According to Care2 they are capable of figuring out complex puzzles, planning attacks, memorizing landscapes and using tools to survive. This intelligence has convinced many who study the animal that it isn't just smart, but possibly a conscious being. This fact has brought many to the conclusion that octopus should no longer be eaten, since eating one would be similar to eating a dolphin, parrot or chimpanzees — all smart animals in their own right.
But others have not gotten the memo. In fact, at this moment scientists in several countries are looking for ways to make underwater octopus farming a reality. If successful, hundreds of thousands if not millions of octopus a year would likely be kept in featureless tanks, without stimuli only to be slaughtered for human consumption."Octopuses are solitary, carnivorous animals badly suited to captivity. Confined in tiny cages, they suffer and die; confined together, they kill each other." The side effects of factory farming octopuses could be our seas as a whole. Just as we exploit thousands of acres of land to produce feed for our cows, industrial farms would require tons of wild caught shellfish and other food for their animals. So quite opposite from relieving the stress on our oceans, it could actually increase it. In conclusion, please never order any food that is made with octopi.
Photo by Cesare Brothers
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