Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus: The Internet’s Favorite Fake

The origins of the Pacific Northwest tree octopus date back to 1998, when a website was launched to warn the public and rally support to save the Pacific Northwest tree octopus.

Despite being entirely fictional, the site mimicked real conservation campaigns, complete with calls to action, ecological stats and references to an endangered species list.

Educators and critical thinking advocates quickly saw the site’s potential. It became a popular teaching tool for digital literacy, asking students to evaluate whether the northwest tree octopus could possibly be real.

After all, solitary cephalopods like the octopus are generally water-bound, desiccating when out of water for too long. And even with specialized skin adaptations, surviving in tree canopies seems like a stretch.