Cephalopods including octopus, squid, and cuttlefish show remarkable intelligence and evidence of sentience, raising welfare questions about their increasingly large-scale exploitation.
Cephalopods present one of the most fascinating and important frontiers in animal welfare science. Their intelligence is well-documented but their evolutionary distance from vertebrates means we understand their experience poorly. Farming octopus — a solitary, territorial, curious animal — in captivity raises serious welfare concerns. Advocates should support precautionary protection and welfare research for cephalopods.