Skip to content
NorthFactsFacts first, Canada's reference desk
Nature

Giant Pacific Octopus

What is giant pacific octopus?

· James MacDonald

Key facts

Scientific name Enteroctopus dofleini[2]
Common name Giant Pacific octopus[2]
Range North Pacific / temperate waters of the Pacific Ocean[2]
Diet Clams, shrimp, lobsters, fish[1]
Average lifespan 3 to 5 years[2]

The giant Pacific octopus (*Enteroctopus dofleini*) is the largest octopus species in the world, found in coastal Pacific waters from California to Japan.

Context

The giant Pacific octopus is a large, intelligent cephalopod that lives in the North Pacific. It is often compared to the giant squid in terms of size and mystique. It is found in coastal waters from California to Japan [1]. It lives in shallow water and also at greater depths [3]. Its venom is used to paralyze prey like clams and shrimp [1].

Documented claims

  • It is the largest octopus species in the world. [1]
  • It hunts at night and uses venom to paralyze prey. [1]
  • It is reported to be intelligent and able to solve mazes and open jars in laboratory tests. [1]

Related

Giant OtterBoth are large animal species found in the Pacific Northwest, and readers interested in one may want to learn about the other.Giant House SpiderBoth are large invertebrate species, and a reader curious about giant animals might appreciate this comparison.

Questions and answers

How venomous is a giant Pacific octopus?

It uses venom to paralyze its prey, but it is not considered dangerous to humans [1].

Why are giant Pacific octopuses so smart?

They are reported to be intelligent and able to solve mazes and open jars in laboratory tests [1].

Has a giant Pacific octopus ever attacked a human?

There are no documented attacks on humans in the provided sources.

Sources

  1. Giant Pacific Octopus — caseagrant.ucsd.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Eight little facts about the giant Pacific octopus — wwf.ca (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. Giant Pacific Octopus — nationalgeographic.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature