Octopus Wrestling & Crazy Octopus Facts

World Octopus Wrestling Championships

Octopus wrestling involves a diver grappling with a large octopus in shallow water and dragging it to the surface.

Octopus wrestling was considered one of the most popular sports on the West Coast of the United States during the 1960s. At that time, the annual World Octopus Wrestling Championships were held in Puget Sound, Washington. The event was televised and attracted up to 5,000 spectators. Trophies were awarded to the individual divers and teams who caught the largest animals. Afterwards, the octopuses were either eaten, given to the local aquarium, or returned to the sea.

How do you wrestle these 8 armed super slippery creatures?

Keeping in mind that you are not wrestling a man, a few steps were followed by the wrestlers. By forming a team of two or three, divers would descend as far as 60 feet to the octopus’s lair. The team would actually “wrestle” the Octopus by painstakingly detaching the creature’s suction cups and unwrapping its tentacles before slowly bringing the quarry to the surface. Once on shore, the giant beasts were tosed on a scale for judging.

Washington stopped this trend of wrestling octopuses in 1976 law that made it a misdemeanour to “molest” or “harass” an octopus.

17 Crazy Facts About Octopuses

1. There are three plural forms of the word ‘octopus’: octopi, octopuses, and octopodes.
2. Octopuses are shy creatures. They do not like to be in the spotlight.
3. All varieties of octopuses are venomous but only some have enough venom to kill a human being.
4. A blue-ringed octopus can kill 26 human beings within a few minutes.
5. Octopuses can change the colour and texture of their skin to blend into their surroundings.
6. Octopuses have two rows of suckers on each arm. The sensory receptors at the bottom of their suckers help them to ‘taste’ whatever they touch.
7. If an octopus loses an arm, it is not an issue—a new one grows back in its place!
8. All octopuses have three hearts.
9. Octopuses have a very flexible body because they have no bones.
10. An adult octopus can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime.
11. The colour of their blood is blue.
12. Octopuses have very good eyesight but they cannot hear.
13. An Octopus can easily swim backwards.
14. Octopuses eject a cloud of dark black ink to escape from predators.
15. A female octopus is known as a hen. It may lay up to 1,50,000 eggs in two weeks.
16. Large octopuses like the Giant Octopus have also been known to catch and kill small species of Sharks.
17. Octopuses are very intelligent animals and experiments have proven that they possess learning abilities. They can even be trained and kept as pets.