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World Octopus Day

Animal Awareness Days

Octopuses are incredibly intelligent and charismatic animals, found in every ocean on Earth.

This World Octopus Day, learn about these magnificent, many-armed marine creatures, and find out what you can do to help them.

When is World Octopus Day 2026

World Octopus Day (also known as National Octopus Day, International Octopus Day and Octopus Appreciation Day) is celebrated on the 8th of October every year. It’s a celebration of one of the most distinctive marine creatures on the planet.

The day draws attention to the beauty, intelligence, and sentience of octopuses. It’s also a chance to highlight the threats octopuses face, including octopus farming and marine pollution.

3 facts about octopuses

  1. Octopuses have three hearts. Two which pump blood through the gills and another that pumps blood to the rest of the body.
  2. They’re very brainy. Octopuses have one central brain and eight “mini-brains” in their arms. These mini brains can feel, smell, taste, and process information independently.
  3. Octopuses live for an average of 1 to 2 years. One exception is this mother octopus, who cared for her eggs for an incredible 53 months.

Threats to octopuses

While octopuses are not considered endangered, they face a number of threats.

Climate change and marine pollution

Octopuses are sensitive to water quality and water temperatures. They’ve been known to ingest plastic waste in the ocean, which can impact their health.

Overfishing

Octopuses are targeted by fishers across the world as a source of meat and for use in the aquarium trade. This has led to unsustainable and, sometimes, illegal fishing practices, and the use of destructive fishing methods.

Octopus farming

While some countries, like Chile, are moving to ban commercial octopus farming, others are planning to expand the industry. In Galicia in Spain, for example, an experimental octopus hatchery was approved in 2025.

How to celebrate World Octopus Day

If you’re here on the 8th of October, Happy World Octopus Day! Protecting octopuses from the threats they face is a great way to celebrate.

How to protect the octopus

Here are some of the top things you can do to protect octopus species around the world.

  1. Make plant-based foods part of your diet. Avoid eating octopus, and switch factory-farmed seafood and meat for sustainable options that don’t impact animal welfare.
  2. Join our campaigns to push organisations and governments to safeguard animals and the habitats they rely on.
  3. Sign up for the World Animal Protection newsletter to find out about new ways you can help.

Many animals need your help. Find out about other animal awareness days.

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World Octopus Day FAQs

Is calamari squid or octopus?

Calamari is the Italian word for squid. So when you see calamari on a menu, it’s squid that’s being served.

People around the world also eat octopus, particularly across East Asia and the Mediterranean. But scientists argue that we should avoid eating farmed octopuses for environmental and ethical reasons.

How do octopuses eat?

Octopuses mainly eat crabs and lobsters. They tend to hunt at night, pouncing from above, using their beaks to inject venom, and wrapping their prey in the webbing between their arms before pulling it into their mouths.

How smart are octopuses? 

Octopuses are highly intelligent and sentient beings with thoughts, feelings, and individual personalities. They can solve puzzles, use tools, and learn from experience.  

Do octopuses have bones?

Octopuses belong to the invertebrate family and don’t have any bones in their bodies. Instead, they have what’s called a hydrostatic skeleton. This is a fluid-filled muscle system. Other creatures, like jellyfish and earthworms, have these too.

Do octopuses have ink?

Most octopuses produce ink. They have an ink sac that produces a dark fluid, which they can then eject at speed when threatened. The ink confuses predators and helps the octopus to hide. In some octopus species, the ink also paralyses the sensory organs of the attacker.

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