2025 Declared Year of the Octopus as Record Sightings Hit England's South Coast
Wildlife Trusts have declared 2025 the Year of the Octopus following record sightings along England's south coast. The Cornwall Wildlife Trust reported approximately 233,000 octopuses caught in UK waters in 2025, about 13 times the usual number in Cornish waters. This exceptional bloom is attributed to a mild winter followed by an unusually warm spring, which enhanced the survival rates of Octopus vulgaris larvae. The abundance of spider crabs may also have played a contributing role.
Observations of octopuses span from Penzance in Cornwall to South Devon, with many seen in shallow waters. Divers have captured footage showing groupings of octopuses and instances of them walking on the seabed. The event marks the largest bloom observed since 1950, with a prior record noted in 1900 by the Marine Biological Association.
In UK waters, two species of octopus are present: the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris), which can grow up to 1.5 metres, and the smaller curled octopus. Experts note that a repeat bloom in 2026 is possible if similar environmental conditions occur, though it is unlikely to last long based on previous patterns.
Additional notable wildlife events in 2025 include record numbers of grey seals in Cumbria, record puffin populations on Skomer, the first recording of the sea slug Capellinia fustifera in Yorkshire, and the discovery of a variable blenny off Sussex.
