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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBottles, cans, batteries: octopuses found using litter on seabed
Whether its mimicking venomous creatures, or shooting jets of water at aquarium light switches to turn them off, octopuses are nothing if not resourceful. Now, an analysis of underwater images suggests octopuses are increasingly using discarded bottles, cans, and other human rubbish as shelter or as a sanctuary for their eggs.
The study the first to systematically evaluate and characterise litter use by octopuses using crowdsourced images analysed hundreds of underwater photos posted on social media platforms and image databases, or collected by marine biologists and diving interest groups.
The research, published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, documented 24 species of octopus sheltering inside glass bottles, cans, and even an old battery; burying themselves under a mixture of bottle tops and seashells; even carrying plastic items around while stilt-walking on two tentacles, to conceal themselves from predators.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/08/bottles-cans-batteries-octopuses-found-using-litter-on-seabed
LT Barclay
(2,585 posts)DFW
(54,055 posts)bahboo
(16,234 posts)Shanti Shanti Shanti
(12,047 posts)A year or less lifespans, every new year of youngsters has to start from scratch, civilization must wait till we genetically breed them for longer life.
They have zero experience or knowledge being passed on, but of course they have been around for 250 million years, what do I know, lol
lostnfound
(16,138 posts)They ARE smart critters.