Are you on an Aquatic Scavenger Hunt?
Greetings explorer friends! We are taking a deep, deep, deep dive into the ocean and looking for our fine finned friends. It is National Ocean Month and what could be more dreamy than checking out all the array of magical sea life? So lets put on our flippers, wet suits and goggles and get ready to make a splash!
The Octopus
There are many reasons the great octopus is famous! These cool critters are incredibly unique – boasting eight arms, bulgy eyes and a distinctive way of swimming through the ocean. Sometimes referred to as ‘monsters of the deep’, octopi move along the depths of the ocean floor and are masters of camouflage. Outside of blending in with their surroundings, when an octopus feels threatened it can shoot out an inky substance from its body, to cloud the water around it. This ink acts as a type of ‘smoke screen’, and has the additional benefit of confusing a predator’s sense of smell. Fun fact! Octopi have nine brains. That’s right! As you might have guessed, they have one mini brain in each arm. These mini “arm brains” receive signals from their central brain. With their nine brains, these creatures are highly intelligent and can even use tools. This is extremely rare in the animal kingdom! Three cheers – or perhaps eight, for the magnificent octopus.
