Science The Squidshank Redemption - Page 2

**Rain Man** · 04-13-2016, 04:44 PM

This was not a small octopus, either. I bet he's in Mexico now fixing up a boat.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/wor...285/story.html

Inky the octopus didn’t even try to cover his tracks.

By the time the staff at New Zealand’s National Aquarium noticed that he was missing, telltale suction cup prints were the main clue to an easily-solved mystery.

Inky had said see ya to his tank-mate, slipped through a gap left by maintenance workers at the top of his enclosure and, as evidenced by the tracks, made his way across the floor to a 15-centimetre-wide drain. He squeezed his football-sized body in — octopuses are very malleable, aquarium manager Rob Yarrall told the New Zealand website Stuff — and made a break for the Pacific.

“He managed to make his way to one of the drain holes that go back to the ocean. And off he went,” Yarrall told Radio New Zealand. “And he didn’t even leave us a message.”

The cephalopod version of Shawshank Redemption took place three months ago, but it only became public Tuesday. Inky, who already had some local renown in the coastal city of Napier, quickly became a global celebrity cheered on by strangers.

Inky had resided at the aquarium since 2014, when he was taken in after being caught in a crayfish pot, his body scarred and his arms injured. The octopus’ name was chosen from nominations submitted to a contest run by the Napier City Council.

Kerry Hewitt, the aquarium’s curator of exhibits, said at the time that Inky was “getting used to being at the aquarium” but added that staff would “have to keep Inky amused or he will get bored.”

Guess that happened.

This isn’t the first time a captive octopus decided to take matters into its own hands — er, tentacles. In 2009, after a two-spotted octopus at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium in California took apart a water recycling valve, directed a tube to shoot water out of the tank for 10 hours and caused a massive flood, Scientific American asked octopus expert Jennifer Mather about the animals’ intelligence and previous such hijinks at aquariums.

“They are very strong, and it is practically impossible to keep an octopus in a tank unless you are very lucky. . . . Octopuses simply take things apart,” Mather said. “I recall reading about someone who had built a robot submarine to putter around in a large aquarium tank. The octopus got a hold of it and took it apart piece by piece. There’s a famous story from the Brighton Aquarium in England 100 years ago that an octopus there got out of its tank at night when no one was watching, went to the tank next door and ate one of the lumpfish and went back to his own tank and was sitting there the next morning.”

Yarrall said the aquarium has no plans to replace Inky, but it does intend to better secure the tank where now just one octopus remains.

“They are always exploring and they are great escape artists,” Yarrall said, according to Hawke’s Bay Today. “We’ll be watching the other one.”

Hydrae · 04-14-2016, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allen_kcCard

It was actually pretty cool. They do a camping program there where my son's scout troop were able to stay the night in the zoo and everyone slept in the aquarium itself. We did a night hike where a guide took us around the zoo to talk about things, and then a morning one as well to see more of it with the guide. After that we were free to stay the day at the zoo if we wanted to.

That would be awesome. Going around at night when some of the animals are more active had to be pretty neat. Did the animals make much noise during the night (thinking big cat roars especially)?

allen_kcCard · 04-14-2016, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hydrae

That would be awesome. Going around at night when some of the animals are more active had to be pretty neat. Did the animals make much noise during the night (thinking big cat roars especially)?

We were in the aquarium, so we couldn't hear that, and at Omaha the cats are all in their own enclosure.

But....we did get to go to the cat house (hehehe) first thing in the morning, and the male lion was roaring so loud the walls were shaking.

Hydrae · 04-14-2016, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allen_kcCard

We were in the aquarium, so we couldn't hear that, and at Omaha the cats are all in their own enclosure.

But....we did get to go to the cat house (hehehe) first thing in the morning, and the male lion was roaring so loud the walls were shaking.

Now that would be a highlight to remember!

My wife and love going to zoos. Had a Silverback Mountain gorilla charge me once (thankfully the glass was really, really thick!). Saw a baby white Rhino playing in San Antonio. It is amazing how cute babies can be even when they are going to grow up to be ugly as all get out.

The most cool though may have been the hippos fighting. That was impressive.

I just don't know how people can think zoos are boring. Yes, most of the animals tend to be pretty sedentary but it only takes one or two experiences like those above to make it all very worthwhile, imo.

Fish · 04-14-2016, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allen_kcCard

It was actually pretty cool. They do a camping program there where my son's scout troop were able to stay the night in the zoo and everyone slept in the aquarium itself. We did a night hike where a guide took us around the zoo to talk about things, and then a morning one as well to see more of it with the guide. After that we were free to stay the day at the zoo if we wanted to.

Lucky none of the children were eaten by octopuses coming and going as they please...

allen_kcCard · 04-14-2016, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish

Lucky none of the children were eaten by octopuses coming and going as they please...

Indeed. They don't make a merit badge for that one I'd wager.

**Rain Man** · 04-14-2016, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allen_kcCard

We were in the aquarium, so we couldn't hear that, and at Omaha the cats are all in their own enclosure.

But....we did get to go to the cat house (hehehe) first thing in the morning, and the male lion was roaring so loud the walls were shaking.

I was in the zoo once when one of the lions let out a big roar. We weren't even in the big cat area and it was loud. It also activates a primitive fear reflex, apparently. I can't imagine being out in the bush with a spear and a loincloth and hearing that.

And weren't the lions even bigger in the caveman era? Props to those guys for not getting eaten into extinction.

allen_kcCard · 04-14-2016, 01:55 PM

For the one we heard, the lion was in a holding cage that was between his exhibit and the one next to him while they cleaned them all out, so we couldn't see him at the time. The wall had a great big metal access door that the vets and workers use to get in and the wall itself was concrete. When he roared, I was leaning against the wall, and I'm guessing the lion was right on the other side, so about 4-5 feet away. I could feel the wall vibrating, and the metal door sounded like one of those old piece of crap cars that have a big sound system installed in them when they hit a low bass note.

The guide told us they were probably giving him his beef bone in there (it was sunday and the only food that the cats get on sundays is a big ass beef bone to gnaw on) and he typically gets really vocal when food is in play since a pride's pecking order for food is male first, then females, then youngsters and he is letting everyone know it is his turn.

04-13-2016, 04:44 PM
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3058491 VARSITY	The Squidshank Redemption This was not a small octopus, either. I bet he's in Mexico now fixing up a boat. http://www.vancouversun.com/news/wor...285/story.html Inky the octopus didn’t even try to cover his tracks. By the time the staff at New Zealand’s National Aquarium noticed that he was missing, telltale suction cup prints were the main clue to an easily-solved mystery. Inky had said see ya to his tank-mate, slipped through a gap left by maintenance workers at the top of his enclosure and, as evidenced by the tracks, made his way across the floor to a 15-centimetre-wide drain. He squeezed his football-sized body in — octopuses are very malleable, aquarium manager Rob Yarrall told the New Zealand website Stuff — and made a break for the Pacific. “He managed to make his way to one of the drain holes that go back to the ocean. And off he went,” Yarrall told Radio New Zealand. “And he didn’t even leave us a message.” The cephalopod version of Shawshank Redemption took place three months ago, but it only became public Tuesday. Inky, who already had some local renown in the coastal city of Napier, quickly became a global celebrity cheered on by strangers. Inky had resided at the aquarium since 2014, when he was taken in after being caught in a crayfish pot, his body scarred and his arms injured. The octopus’ name was chosen from nominations submitted to a contest run by the Napier City Council. Kerry Hewitt, the aquarium’s curator of exhibits, said at the time that Inky was “getting used to being at the aquarium” but added that staff would “have to keep Inky amused or he will get bored.” Guess that happened. This isn’t the first time a captive octopus decided to take matters into its own hands — er, tentacles. In 2009, after a two-spotted octopus at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium in California took apart a water recycling valve, directed a tube to shoot water out of the tank for 10 hours and caused a massive flood, Scientific American asked octopus expert Jennifer Mather about the animals’ intelligence and previous such hijinks at aquariums. “They are very strong, and it is practically impossible to keep an octopus in a tank unless you are very lucky. . . . Octopuses simply take things apart,” Mather said. “I recall reading about someone who had built a robot submarine to putter around in a large aquarium tank. The octopus got a hold of it and took it apart piece by piece. There’s a famous story from the Brighton Aquarium in England 100 years ago that an octopus there got out of its tank at night when no one was watching, went to the tank next door and ate one of the lumpfish and went back to his own tank and was sitting there the next morning.” Yarrall said the aquarium has no plans to replace Inky, but it does intend to better secure the tank where now just one octopus remains. “They are always exploring and they are great escape artists,” Yarrall said, according to Hawke’s Bay Today. “We’ll be watching the other one.”
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04-14-2016, 01:55 PM	#22
allen_kcCard Veteran Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $4353183	For the one we heard, the lion was in a holding cage that was between his exhibit and the one next to him while they cleaned them all out, so we couldn't see him at the time. The wall had a great big metal access door that the vets and workers use to get in and the wall itself was concrete. When he roared, I was leaning against the wall, and I'm guessing the lion was right on the other side, so about 4-5 feet away. I could feel the wall vibrating, and the metal door sounded like one of those old piece of crap cars that have a big sound system installed in them when they hit a low bass note. The guide told us they were probably giving him his beef bone in there (it was sunday and the only food that the cats get on sundays is a big ass beef bone to gnaw on) and he typically gets really vocal when food is in play since a pride's pecking order for food is male first, then females, then youngsters and he is letting everyone know it is his turn.
Posts: 2,768