In Britain, octopuses and crabs were recognized as intelligent (5 photos)

Octopuses, squid, cuttlefish and other cephalopods are officially recognized as intelligent creatures under a new amendment to UK law. They were also joined by decapod crustaceans, which include crabs, lobsters and crayfish.





Due to the lack of a backbone, octopuses and other similar invertebrate animals were not previously recognized as intelligent, despite their complex central nervous systems. But recently, British scientists, years later, included them in the list of intelligent creatures along with crayfish, crabs and lobsters. These animals have been found to have the ability to experience pain or suffering.



A whole team of scientists set out to prove the intelligence of these creatures. Commissioned by the UK government, a team led by Dr Jonathan Birch from the London School of Economics analyzed more than 300 existing scientific studies. They compiled a review officially recognizing octopuses and crabs as sentient, with the main goal of protecting these species.





The review strongly recommends avoiding some common practices for handling these animals. Some of these include live cooking without stunning, transport in ice water, extreme slaughter methods, and selling live crustaceans to untrained handlers.



The new bill is not expected to immediately impact practices that have been in place for years regarding these marine life, but will have an impact on industries in the future. Once the bill is approved and becomes law, the government also plans to create a Committee for the Protection of These Animals, which will carefully monitor compliance with the rules.