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Urban-Related Distribution Patterns Of An Iconic Salish Sea Mesopredator, The Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus Dofleini), Eliza C. Heery, Amy G. Olsen, Blake E. (Blake Edward) Feist, Kenneth P. Sebens

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Like many coastal areas globally, the Salish Sea has undergone rapid urbanization over recent decades. Terrestrial research suggests urbanization facilitates a variety of mesopredators by enhancing food and shelter resources and by limiting apex predation. Yet urbanization’s effect on mesopredators in the marine environment has rarely been examined. The giant Pacific octopus, Enteroctopus dofleini, is an iconic mesopredator of the Pacific Northwest due to its size and cognition, and is thought to reach a particularly large maximum size in inland waters of the Salish Sea. We examined the spatial distribution patterns and habitat use of giant Pacific octopus in Puget …