An Octopus Like Otto
I’m on an octopus kick at the present time. If these aren’t one of our planet’s more amazing creatures – my, oh, my!
There are around 300 recognized species of octopuses. A book I’ve read recently, entitled The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery, dealt mostly with Giant Pacific octopuses she knew. And who knew her!
Yes, these invertebrates, to whom we might credit little to no real intelligence, are actually extremely highly intelligent. Octopuses in captivity recognize individual humans; they love to interact with the ones they like – caressing and kissing them, being stroked and spoken to by them – and torment the ones they don’t. They play games, enthusiastically explore and try and test new environments, solve puzzles, open things, and escape whenever possible. The latter is generally to their great detriment, as they cannot be out of the water for long. Unless the escape is observed and the octopus saved from its determined objective, it will almost certainly die.
The females are called by some the “hardest-working moms on the planet.” Depending on the species, one female can give birth to as many as 200,000 eggs, and then must tend to them until they hatch. That generally takes in the neighborhood of five to ten months. The mothers-to-be do not eat in all that time. They gently sweep, protect, and clean their eggs, never leaving them for a moment. This takes place in a den where she’s strung up all the tiny eggs in many multiples of strings. They look a little like huge clusters of minuscule grapes.
Octopuses have a muscular tube called a funnel, or siphon, through which they can squirt water. And they have a sense of humor.
Six-month-old Otto (pictured when older) played a trick on the staff at the Sea Star Aquarium in Coburg, Germany a few years ago. According to Elfriede Kummer, the aquarium’s director, for two days running staff came to work to find the entire electrical system shorted out. They fixed it each time. On the third morning when staff arrived and turned on the lights, they found Otto in the very act of knocking it out again by squirting out the 2000-watt spotlight over his tank. It turns out that Otto had been trained to squirt at visitors because it delighted them. He apparently recognized that he caused a commotion and gained attention by doing this. There was really a commotion, he discovered, when he shot the lights out, so he kept doing it.
Given a chessboard to distract him, Otto played regularly with it for some time before tiring of it and tossing it out of his tank. Then it was on to something else.
These precious creatures are in our charge. In Genesis 1:21, God tells Adam and Eve that they are to “Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (NIV).
These are sentient beings. They know things, can learn things, are able to teach us things. Job said, “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:7-10, NIV).
Creatures other than ourselves (but creatures like ourselves also) are entrusted to us to care for, not given over so that we might hurt them. What an awesome privilege and honor this is! What pleasure they bring us and what pleasure we might give them.
One day I hope to be kissed by an octopus. An octopus like Otto.
10 Comments
Trudie
I have never really read or watched anything on the octopus that I can remember! This is very interesting! There’s so much more than what meets the eye! Thank you, Carolyn ❤️
ckarlstrom
You’re so welcome! I hadn’t previously thought much about octopuses either until I read this book. Now I want to know more! I’m so glad you enjoyed it . . .
Beth
Wow! Quite interesting to read of this sea creature. While I don’t have the desire to sctually be close to or touched by an octopus, I found Otto to be smart, funny, and interesting! Love your blogs and the biblical references. My dad also said to watch the animals and learn.💕
ckarlstrom
I wish I could have met your dad! Someday I will!! Thanks for your sweet comment . . .
Louise
Love this, Carolyn. Funny, yet profound. It is our duty, no – our privilege, to take care of our world and the creatures in it. T
Hey have much to teach us.
ckarlstrom
Thanks very much, Louise, for your thoughtful comments. Yes, we actually know relatively little. I look forward to an eternity of learning new things!!! One of the things I most gleefully anticipate is a completely different relationship with other created beings than we have now. Exciting to think about . . .
Cheryl
You are such an eclectic reader Carolyn! Love that about you! I have recently watched a Netflix documentary called “My Octopus Teacher”. It also opened my eyes to the world of octopuses and left me amazed! Thank you for your curious mind and how you love to share! Our God Is amazing and I can’t wait to speak with or communicate in someway with all the different creatures he has created. Soon!
ckarlstrom
Oh, Cheryl, me too! What a strange and wonderful prospect!!! Thank you for reading this and for your very kind comments . . . 🐙
Sherri
Great story! I have loved these creatures ever since I read an article about how smart they are. I wish I could remember where I found it, but it was fascinating and very entertaining. Since that first time, I’ve read several others and am looking forward to finding the book you mentioned.
All of God’s creatures are truly amazing!
ckarlstrom
They are without a question! Yes, for sure you’d enjoy the book and it’s easy to find. If you do read it, let me knowwhat you think of it. And thx so much for your comments!!