The Habitat of the Giant Octopus

Habitat

• The giant octopus lives off the coast of Southern California, north along the Pacific Northwest coastline and south all the way to Japan. It is seen in shallow coastal waters and in depths up to 4,921 feet, according to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park.

The Den

• Vital to the giant octopus' survival is its underwater den. Usually established in natural crevices or under rocks, the den serves as an incubation area for the octopus' eggs as well as a safe haven from predators.

Eggs

• After establishing a den and mating, the female giant octopus lays 20,000 to 100,000 eggs. She then forgoes feeding to watch over the eggs until they hatch, which can take 150 days to 7 months depending on the water temperature. Once the eggs hatch, the mother octopus dies and the baby octopuses, which are the size of a grain of rice, leave the safety of the den to swim to the surface, where they stay among the plankton for four to 12 weeks before returning to the depths of the ocean.

Predators

• Harbor seals, sperm whales, sea otters, various fish and even other octopuses prey on the giant octopus. If threatened, it releases a cloud of toxic, purple-black ink. Released in the confines of the giant octopus' den or other tight spots, the ink can be fatal to the predator and even the giant octopus if they are not fast enough to get away.