Octopus vs. Mr. Potato Head

Did you know that a giant Pacific octopus’s brain capacity is thought to be similar to that of a dog? At the National Aquarium, we use a variety of enrichment items to stimulate their brains, such as baby or dog toys and other puzzles. To encourage cognitive thinking and natural hunting behaviors, the octopus is given a container with food inside. The octopus opens the container quickly using more than 1,800 suction cups that help it locate and taste the item inside.