Does human touch harm Octopi?

[friscuba]

Most marine organisms have a body slime that essentially acts as a protective barrier from parasites, abrasions and other entry points for disease. Handling them can potentially remove that protective barrier and make them more susceptible to disease. I make no claims to knowing for certain octopus rely on the same protective mechanism, but I've seen a lot of slobbery stuff left on diver's gloves after a gloved diver has handled an octopus. Perhaps someone, like a marine biologist, that actually might have a clue should be asked this question.

I think it was mentioned earlier, bottom line, what benefit can come to the octopus by handling it?

 

[knowone]

Yeah but all that stuff comes out of a packet onto a plate in a restuarant.

Lucky our crays don't have claws as I'm stuffing them into a bag whilst
juggling sea urchins.

The stuff that comes comes if it doesn't want to come you won't see it.

Go sit in inside a rough dive close to shore and see everything banging
and crashig into itself and others and each other and into themselves.

You think it's some sort of fish tank under there because that's the only way
and the only time you see it.

 

[vladimir]

Hmmm, well, if we approve hunting a particular critter, it's hard to object to touching it gently, or even gently picking it up. I mean, torturing the poor beastie is one thing, but it seems hypocritical to be willing to eat an animal then turn one's nose up at something that might merely annoy it a little. Vegetarians get a pass, of course.

This seems like unassailable logic at first glance, but the implicit assumption is that we approve of unlimited hunting, with no regard to impact or sustainability. In fact, many of us approve of hunting to the extent that it is clearly sustainable, and in a way that limits its environmental impact. In that case, we might look at the handling of octopuses as an unnecessary impact on the environment, and therefore approve of the hunting and disapprove of the handling and still be logically consistent.

I don't have an opinion on whether or not handling octopuses impacts them adversely, but my personal rule is to minimize my impact as much as I can without unduly impacting my enjoyment of diving (and life in general), so I choose to touch nothing.

 

[farsidefan1]

The slime coat of fish is generally not disturbed if you first wet your hands (Yeah, I'm a big time catch and release guy). Divers hands, well, they are probably wet. That said I am a look no touch diver.

 

[2 Big 2 Fail]

I don't think it's so much that touching is so bad, but as with all wildlife interactions there's a continuum of effects, from touching to petting to grabbing to restraint and, in the case of the octopus, to wrestling. I don't think anyone knows about the amount and nature of stress or how much is likely too much. It's not as if there's enough free time and inclination among octopus experts to experiment with tormenting them to death. But I have to consider that, given the habits of a relatively retiring creature that's inclined to hold up in tight recesses, that we might never see the effects of a prolonged, very stressful "wrestling match" with a diver. A good many animals sull and die following forced restraint.

Humans are tactile animals with lots of nerve endings on our hairless hands, so we're inclined to explore things by feel. But I don't think it takes a lot of imagination to imagine what an octopus feels like, although the temptation to see if it would "suck onto" your hand would be powerful. But I figure that's the animal's choice. The issue is probably more one of overall approach to the marine environment, rather than about octopuses specifically.

 

[RU4SKUBA]

I think it goes without saying that we do not fully understand the implications of touching marine life.

How people justify their personal decisions with respect to the well-being of the local environment is really up to them. Personally, I think its a bad idea for numerous reasons.

"God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools."

John Muir

 

[Karibelle]

"God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools."

John Muir

Well said. Or good find re the quotation. :blinking:

 

[drbill]

As a marine biologist of 40+ years, I touch animals. However, I am highly selective of what critters I will touch and what ones I will not. I generally don't touch octopus unless they initiate the contact. I may put my finger out and see if they will reach out for it (they often do). I do not grab animals and hold them unless I am pretty certain this is tolerable to them. Such behavior can initiate biochemical changes associated with fear that could be harmful to them even if physical contact isn't likely to be.

I once watched a male giant kelpfish guard his nest of eggs from the time he and the females were laying and fertilizing them until the eggs hatched out (about 3 weeks). Initially the fish would be defensive when I tried to film it and I kept a respectful distance. After about a week, the fish would swim over to me and interact. It would even come to my extended hand, palm up, and rest on my palm.

My general rule is to only touch critters I feel tolerate such contact without harm, and then only for some valid reason. Most of the time I do so for repositioning the animal to film it for educational purposes.

In one of my dive club talks, I use a video in which an octopus is harassed by a diver who had "buddied" himself up with me. The poor thing was being squeezed by the diver holding it, inked and the diver dropped it... all captured on video. I was criticized at one club by a member who felt it was totally inappropriate. I thought I had made it clear that that was why I kept it in the video.

 

[Jerome_Smeets]

how about that harassing octopus : YouTube - Octopus in love with divers!!! ?

 

[Crowley]

Agree with the sentiment that if you interact with animals underwater you do it on their terms, not yours. If it approaches you for a touch, fine - but these creatures - or any underwater creature - are not like stray dogs looking for a bit of loving. If you reach for them, they may react defensively, and octopuses have six more arms than you and very sharp beaks!

As an aside - a friend of mine on a night dive lost his flashlight when an inquisitive octopus took an interest. When he ran out of arms, arguing with a very persistent octopus, he had no option but to let go. Since then I have had this image of an octopus wandering around the reef, shining it's new toy into dark crevices and getting one up over all it's hunting buddies!

Also, because I'm a stickler - although "octopi" has become commonplace in dictionaries, the correct plural is "octopuses". Actually the linguistically correct plural is "octopodes" but people laugh at you if you say that!

Tentacularly,

C.