Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Moore, Jon

Thesis/Dissertation Co-Chair

Wetterer, James K.

Abstract

In an attempt to better understand the effects of environmental enrichments on captive octopods, specifically Octopus vulgaris, as conducted by aquariums, attempts have been made to collect wild octopus from various sites in the Indian River Lagoon. Collected specimen would have been observed in captivity in order to compare their behavior with that of their wild counterparts based on the data collected by Kayes in 1973. The research conducted would serve to investigate if the environmental enrichments, institutionalized by aquariums, encourage octopods to behave more closely to the natural or wild type behaviors or if the enrichments encourage less natural behavior. Due to complications in the collection process, the nature of research conducted was changed to look at behavior of 0. vulgaris in the wild at Blue Heron Bridge, while examining literature on implications of octopi behavior in captivity. Enrichment is used to guarantee the mental wellbeing and health of animals in captivity in the interests of maintaining a good quality of living. This thesis looks at whether the quality for life achieved by enrichment impacts behavior by either encouraging natural or unnatural behavior in octopi.

Comments

Includes bibliography.

Extent

18 p.

Identifier

FA00003620

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