We affectionately named the cuttlefish Squirt—not due to his size, as he wasn’t the smallest among the 16 in our study pool, but because of his knack for squirting water with remarkable precision at anyone who dared to move him to a separate tank for observation.

As someone who studies animal behavior, I’ve encountered my fair share of defensive reactions from research subjects. I’ve endured bee stings, crayfish pinches, and the flapping wings of disgruntled pigeons. Yet, there was something uniquely personal about Squirt’s reactions. Observing us with his distinct, W-shaped pupils, it almost seemed as if he was scheming against us.

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Admittedly, I’m attributing human characteristics to Squirt. Scientifically, we don’t have the tools yet to confirm whether cuttlefish experience emotions or conscious thoughts, let alone devious plots. However, cephalopods—a group of marine invertebrates that includes cuttlefish, squids, and octopuses—certainly have a mysterious allure.

As we delve deeper into understanding cephalopods’ cognitive abilities, there’s a growing movement to treat these creatures more humanely based on their intelligence. States like California and Washington have passed laws to ban octopus farming starting in 2024, and similar measures are being considered in Hawaii and at the federal level. Meanwhile, a proposed octopus farm in Spain’s Canary Islands is facing resistance from both scientists and animal welfare advocates.

Those opposed to octopus farming cite numerous concerns, including environmental impacts and the ethics of farming such intelligent creatures. From a psychological perspective, the intelligence of cephalopods is the most fascinating aspect. Given that farming chickens and cows is legal, one might wonder, are octopuses smarter than a turkey?

A Vast and Varied Family

Cephalopods include a wide range of mollusks, from the tiny squid species Idiosepius, just a few millimeters long, to the massive giant and colossal squids, which can stretch over 40 feet and weigh more than 1,000 pounds. This group’s habitat ranges from the dark depths of the ocean to vibrant coral reefs.

The diversity in their living environments reflects a wide variation in brain size, complexity, and behavior. Our understanding of cephalopod cognition is primarily based on a few extensively studied species, and care must be taken when generalizing these findings to other cephalopods.

Assessing Unearthly Intelligence

Defining and measuring intelligence is a daunting task, even among humans. This challenge is magnified when studying creatures whose senses and problem-solving abilities are vastly different from our own.

Researchers have historically focused on comparing animal intelligence to human intelligence, often overlooking unique abilities that certain animals possess. In an attempt to objectively measure cognition, scientists have considered factors like brain-to-body size ratio. The well-studied Octopus vulgaris, for example, has roughly 500 million neurons, a number comparable to that of a rabbit or turkey.

However, with over half of its neurons located in the arms, and the majority within the central brain dedicated to visual processing, the structure of the octopus’s nervous system presents unique challenges to our understanding of its cognitive abilities.

Choosing Patience Over Immediate Gratification

While brain structure alone is not a reliable indicator of intelligence, behavioral tests often provide clearer evidence. One notable behavior observed in many cephalopods is their ability to camouflage themselves by manipulating pigment cells in their skin. Some species, like the Australian giant cuttlefish, even use these abilities for communication and hunting.

Learning and memory are hallmarks of intelligent behavior, and studies show that some cephalopods can learn and form memories similarly to vertebrates. For example, certain species of cuttlefish and octopuses can learn to associate specific visual cues with food rewards.

A New Frontier in Animal Welfare

Given the advanced brain structures, sensory capabilities, and learning capacities of cephalopods, it’s reasonable to consider them as intelligent as many vertebrates. Societies that have welfare standards for other animals, like rats or chickens, might logically extend similar considerations to cephalopods.

While animal welfare regulations have traditionally focused on vertebrates, recent years have seen the development of guidelines for the ethical treatment of cephalopods in captivity. These guidelines emphasize conditions that support the natural behaviors and welfare of these animals.

The enigmatic minds of octopuses and their kin offer a fascinating window into non-human intelligence. Determining which species deserve ethical consideration involves setting criteria based on characteristics like neuron count or learning abilities, and then applying these criteria universally across all animal species we interact with.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.