Octopus Habitat

Octopus Habitat and Distribution

The Octopus only lives in oceans due to their need for salt water. They are able to be dispersed in plenty of different locations though. The most common area of the ocean for them to reside happens to be along the coral reefs. They create dens where they live and can be undetected in the water. They will also find small crevices and hide under rocks.

If you are in the water looking for Octopus you have to know where to look and what to pay attention to. They are able to blend into their surroundings so well that even a well trained eye may over look one of them if they aren’t’ careful. Even when researchers do find where Octopus live it is only for a small period of time.

They don’t get too comfortable in any one place for very long. They tend to find a new location every 10 to 14 days. Some of them even live in bottles or other rubbish that has found its way to the bottom of the floor in the ocean. They are very opportunistic when it comes to finding a place for them to call home for a period of time.

They are able to live in different temperatures of water. What is very interesting is that the species living in warmer bodies of water are much smaller than those that reside where it is colder. The fact that they can be so adaptable to different areas of the water is one of the reasons that the various species have been able to survive for millions of years.

It is a common belief that all Octopus live at the bottom of the ocean. While the majority of the species do, some of them also live very close to the surface. With most species the young offspring do live at the surface of the water when they first emerge from their shells. This makes them very vulnerable to the different predators out there. As they get older they will move further down in the water.

Big Octopus in their natural habitat

There isn’t very many areas of the ocean where various types of Octopus don’t reside though. Finding them can be exciting for researchers. Snorkeling is a common adventure for vacationers around the oceans. If you do take part in it try to find squid in the various areas. You will be very amazed seeing them in their natural habitat.

Due to pollution the natural habitat of the Octopus continues to be put at risk. They can’t live well in areas where there are lots of toxins. They have a hard time finding enough food in those locations. It can also be unsafe for the females to lay their eggs in such a region. Sometimes the efforts of humans result in the Octopus having to relocate if they are going to be able to survive.

These animals don’t do very well in captivity at all. They already have a very short life span. Being in captivity can create nervous system problems for them as well as so much stress they won’t eat. Some people do try to keep them as pets in aquariums but it very seldom works for very long. They can also take the lids off and escape, which can occur even when a great design is in place. They are well known for their ability to escape.

Even though researchers know lots about the natural habitat of the Octopus and do their best to recreate it for a great setting, being able to observe them in a captive state is extremely difficult. The new setting alters their behaviors too much for them to be credible.