The Invertebrate House
Locate the Giant Pacific Octopus in the Invertebrate House. Observe for at least 5, but no more than 10 minutes (it may not always be in view, or may be tucked up in the corner out of view). You may need to check back periodically while you view the written information provided at the exhibit by zookeepers, which you can access below. Remember to answer the questions in your Journal!
Hear it from the Experts!
Watch the videos below to learn more about the Pacific Octopus from the experts in the field. Use the information from the videos and your zoo observations to complete Chart 2 in your Journal! You will record environmental conditions in the left boxes and adaptions in the right boxes. Remember that the environment includes abiotic (nonliving) AND biotic (living) factors. Adaptations that help animals hunt or interact with each other area also influenced by the environmental conditions. Be sure to explain the environmental factor the adaptation helps it overcome. Don't forget that you can get up to 2 points extra credit by filling in extra information at the bottom of the chart (this can include the 2 unique facts from the zoo question section).
Monterey Bay Aquarium
National Zoo
General Facts and Characteristics
Adapt it!
The Octopus is bit more challenging to change to a new environment, because it is aquatic and has no bones! Be creative. What would it take to introduce it to land (Hint: It needs some sort of support system because of gravity...cartilage, maybe?)? Remember this would only happen over thousands of years, but we are speeding up the process. Pick a land environment and help it survive by giving it new adaptations.
Page References
Branzed. (2013). Giant Pacific Octopus. [Online Video]. Retrieved online November 23, 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9OOmTCbcpA
Discovery Channel (2009). Giant Pacific Octopus. [Online Video]. Retrieved online November 23, 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tcnq2iYJJo
Manta Aquarium - Giant Pacific Octopus. [Online Image]. Retrieved online November 23, 2013 from http://www.zoochat.com/607/manta-aquarium-giant-pacific
octopus-126924/
Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation (2013). Why We're Suckers for the Giant Pacific Octopus [Online Video]. Retrieved online November 23, 2013
from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYK2i2tR7gU
Smithsonian Institute. (n.d.). Pacific Octopus Fact Sheet. Retrieved online November 23, 2013
from http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Invertebrates/Facts/cephalopods/FactSheets/Pacificoctopus.cfm
Discovery Channel (2009). Giant Pacific Octopus. [Online Video]. Retrieved online November 23, 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tcnq2iYJJo
Manta Aquarium - Giant Pacific Octopus. [Online Image]. Retrieved online November 23, 2013 from http://www.zoochat.com/607/manta-aquarium-giant-pacific
octopus-126924/
Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation (2013). Why We're Suckers for the Giant Pacific Octopus [Online Video]. Retrieved online November 23, 2013
from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYK2i2tR7gU
Smithsonian Institute. (n.d.). Pacific Octopus Fact Sheet. Retrieved online November 23, 2013
from http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Invertebrates/Facts/cephalopods/FactSheets/Pacificoctopus.cfm