How do octopuses blend in?

Octopuses have soft bodies.

Octopuses live in the ocean. They live in shallow water. They live in deep water. Octopuses have soft bodies. How do they stay safe from predators (animals that hunt other animals)? They are good at blending in.

Photo Credit: wrangel/Getty Images

Can you find the octopus in this photo?

Octopuses can change color. They have special sacs. These sacs allow octopuses to change color quickly. The sacs get larger to show more color. They get smaller to show less color. Colors include red, yellow, and brown. This helps the octopus match the background.

Photo Credit: Douglas Klug/Getty Images

Octopuses release ink to cloud the water.

What if they can’t blend in? Octopuses release a cloud of dark ink. This makes it hard for a predator to see. This is when an octopus can get away. The octopus takes in water and squirts it. It makes the octopus swim away quickly!

What Can You Do? What other animals are good at blending in?

Photo Credit: planctonvideo/123RF