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A little reason to celebrate

World Octopus Day

Animal · October 8

A day for the octopus, the eight-armed, color-changing ocean animal known for its clever problem solving, marked in the United States and elsewhere.

World Octopus Day falls on Friday, October 8, 2027. That is 346 days away.

An octopus has eight arms, no bones and a soft body that can squeeze through a gap barely wider than its beak. World Octopus Day is marked in the United States as well as in other countries, and it gives this odd, capable animal some attention.

Octopuses live in oceans around the world, from shallow tide pools to the deep sea. They have three hearts and blue blood. Their skin holds special cells that let them change color and texture in moments, so an octopus can look like a rock, a patch of coral or a ribbon of seaweed. When threatened, many can squirt a cloud of ink and jet away.

They are also famous for curiosity. In aquariums, octopuses have been seen opening jars, exploring new objects and testing the patience of the people who care for them. Each arm is lined with suckers that both grip and sense what they touch, so an octopus is, in a way, tasting the world as it goes.

Most people mark the day by learning something. Aquarium visits are popular, and nature documentaries show behavior that is hard to believe until you watch it. Children often like drawing them, which is a fair test of counting to eight.

Octopuses usually live short lives, and many species live only a year or two. That makes their cleverness more striking, since they learn so much without parents to teach them.

Ways to celebrate

• Visit a local aquarium and watch the octopus exhibit for a while.
• Watch a nature documentary about octopus camouflage.
• Draw an octopus and label its three hearts.
• Read a library book about cephalopods and their relatives.
• Share a favorite octopus fact with a friend.

Dates

All national days on October 8

Also on October 8

• National Pierogi Day
• National Fluffernutter Day

Categories: Animal days