 their own devices, aside from the care provided by the female while waiting for the eggs to hatch.
During the winter, most octopus species, including the common octopus, mate. They are usually alone unless they are mating. Octopuses have relatively short lives, with some species only lasting for six months on average. The huge Pacific octopus, on the other hand, has been reported to survive for up to five years. Males only live for a few months after mating, while females die shortly after the eggs hatch, limiting the lifetime of these animals.
Unfortunately, scientists have no accurate estimate of the number of octopuses on the planet. They’re difficult to monitor not simply because they can’t be tagged, but also because they live in such a solitary and isolated environment. However, since the 1950s, it is thought that the number of cephalopods, especially octopuses, has increased dramatically. There are other pieces of evidence that back this idea, but no precise figures are available.
Why is the number of cephalopods — and, by implication, octopuses – increasing? A number of elements, according to researchers, are at play. For starters, these species are well-known for their ability to adapt to shifting surroundings. They may be better equipped to cope than other animals when climate change happens and, for example, water temperatures rise. Human activity is thought to play an influence in population growth as well. Human fishing, in particular, eliminates a huge number of octopuses’ natural predators from the water. This generates a feeding gap that might be beneficial to these eight-armed animals.
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