Imagine being a octopus, a master of mimicry and intelligence, accustomed to navigating the sea depths and finding refuge among rocky ravines and shells. Now imagine being forced to seek shelter in a glass bottle abandoned by man. This is the reality that emerges from a video, shot by science blogger Mike Lisieski in 2010 and forcefully returned to the limelight, which shows a small octopus nimbly emerging from a glass bottlefinding an unusual – and worrying – refuge among the waste that invades our seas.
Octopuses, fascinating creatures with extraordinary intelligence, are known for their ability to adapt to their surroundings. Equipped with a flexible and skeleton-free body, they can squeeze into narrow spaces and use objects as tools or shelters. In nature, it is common to see them hiding in shells and rocky ravines and other elements of the seabed. But finding an octopus in a glass bottle casts a disturbing shadow on the current situation of our oceans.
This behavior, in fact, is a clear sign of how human waste is progressively colonizing marine habitatsforcing the creatures that populate them to adapt to an increasingly compromised environment. Bottles, cans, plastic and other debris accumulate on the seabed, transforming a rich and vital ecosystem into a submerged landfill.
And the case of the octopus in the bottle is not an isolated incident. A study published in 2022 on Marine Pollution Bulletin analyzed hundreds of underwater photographs and videos, documenting a significant increase in the number of octopuses using waste as shelter. Cans, glass bottles, plastic containers, car batteries and even tires have been “adopted” by these cephalopods as improvised homes.
This phenomenon, although it demonstrates the incredible adaptability of these creatures, raises serious concerns for their health and the balance of the marine ecosystem. In fact, waste can release toxic substances into the water, contaminating the environment and the organisms that inhabit it. Furthermore, the presence of foreign objects on the seabed it can alter the natural habitat of many living speciescompromising their survival.
But what are the consequences of this waste invasion? Plastic, in particular, represents a growing threat. It is estimated that every year between 8 and 12 million tonnes of plastic end up in the seawhich fragments into microplastics ingested by marine organisms, entering the food chain with potentially harmful effects also for human health.
Furthermore, marine pollution compromises biodiversityreducing the availability of resources and altering the balance of ecosystems. The coral reefsfor example, are seriously threatened by pollution, overfishing and climate change, with devastating consequences for marine life.
