World Octopus Day

Octopuses are worthy of appreciation for a number of reasons. First of all, they are one of the earth's great survivors. Indeed, despite their relatively short lifespan, octopus fossils date back more than 300 million years, meaning that they pre-date even dinosaurs.

Perhaps one of the reasons that these unique creatures have survived so long under the sea is because they are also believed to be highly intelligent.

With around 500 million neurons located in their brains and arms, they are able to bypass their instincts, learn lessons and solve problems in a way that not very many other sea life creatures are able to.

Some of them have even been seen to be creative, by using discarded coconut shells and making them into mobile homes. Ingenious!