8 AN OCTOPUS THAT LIVES IN TREES REAL OR FAKE The U S Pacific Northwest is wet So wet that a sea creature lives in the region's trees The Pacific Northwest tree octopus can be found swinging by its tentacles from the limbs of cedars and Douglas firs in the densely forested Olympic Peninsula in Washington State Cruising through the canopy like a chimp it searches for insects and frogs to eat while keeping a watchful eye out for hawks and bald eagles Dry summers are no problem for the octopus It gets all the water it needs from the soggy moss draping the trees A logger first reported the species to scientists in 1954 Before then the wild largely unexplored forests had kept the sea creature's existence a secret Unfortunately the removal of trees on the peninsula has drastically reduced the octopus's habitat and it is now endangered A website about the curious creature has been launched to help raise awareness and bring it back from the of brink extinction
FAKE BIG OL WHOPPER 10
11 BUT PLENTY OF PEOPLE BELIEVE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TREE OCTOPUS Perhaps it's because of the widespread familiarity with the region's other mythical creature Bigfoot More likely the website which is real seems very convincing to some people It includes such detailed information as Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus is the correct popular name for Octopus paxarbolis Pacific Northwestern Northwestern Tree Octopus is erroneous much like using Canadian Geese instead of Canada Geese FUN FACT A 2007 study of average annual rainfall in 195 U S cities found that the Pacific Northwest ISNT AS WET AS PEOPLE THINK IT IS Not one city in the region cracked the top 10 Instead the rainiest top 10 cities were all located in Florida Alabama Louisiana and Texas
