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https://theconversation.com/octopuses-and-their-relatives-are-a-new-animal-welfare-frontier-heres-what-scientists-know-about-consciousness-in-these-unique-creatures-241978>
"We named him Squirt – not because he was the smallest of the 16 cuttlefish in
the pool, but because anyone with the audacity to scoop him into a separate
tank to study him was likely to get soaked. Squirt had notoriously accurate
aim.
As a comparative psychologist, I’m used to assaults from my experimental
subjects. I’ve been stung by bees, pinched by crayfish and battered by
indignant pigeons. But, somehow, with Squirt it felt different. As he eyed us
with his W-shaped pupils, he seemed clearly to be plotting against us.
Of course, I’m being anthropomorphic. Science does not yet have the tools to
confirm whether cuttlefish have emotional states, or whether they are capable
of conscious experience, much less sinister plots. But there’s undeniably
something special about cephalopods – the class of ocean-dwelling invertebrates
that includes cuttlefish, squid and octopus.
As researchers learn more about cehpalopods’ cognitive skills, there are calls
to treat them in ways better aligned with their level of intelligence.
California and Washington state both approved bans on octopus farming in 2024.
Hawaii is considering similar action, and a ban on farming octopus or importing
farmed octopus meat has been introduced in Congress. A planned octopus farm in
Spain’s Canary Islands is attracting opposition from scientists and animal
welfare advocates.
Critics offer many arguments against raising octopuses for food, including
possible releases of waste, antibiotics or pathogens from aquaculture
facilities. But as a psychologist, I see intelligence as the most intriguing
part of the equation. Just how smart are cephalopods, really? After all, it’s
legal to farm chickens and cows. Is an octopus smarter than, say, a turkey?"
Via Kenny Chaffin.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
