Inky, the star octopus of New Zealand’s National Aquarium, managed to escape back to the Pacific Ocean thanks to its remarkable escape artist skills. This spectacular getaway once again highlights the incredible intelligence of octopuses.
The Octopus: A Curious and Intelligent Cephalopod
With its complex nervous system, advanced camouflage techniques, memory, and learning ability, the octopus is considered one of the most intelligent invertebrates.
The octopus has a relatively large brain and millions of neurons spread across its long, agile arms (around 10,000 in each sucker). This advanced brain allows the octopus to solve problems, accumulate knowledge through experience, and even use tools (such as opening shells).
The chromatophores in the animal’s skin give it the ability to adopt spectacular camouflage techniques, allowing it to quickly blend into its surroundings when threatened or while hunting.
Due to its complex nervous system, the octopus is also an exceptionally curious animal. It is not uncommon to see it exploring its environment. This natural curiosity also helps it survive in the wild, enabling it to discover new food sources, spot predators, and find shelter.
Inky, the Octopus from the National Aquarium of New Zealand, Makes a Spectacular Escape and Returns to the Ocean
Inky, a beloved octopus at the Napier Aquarium in New Zealand, made a daring escape in the middle of the night. The cephalopod reportedly slipped through a forgotten small gap, allowing it to reach the Pacific Ocean through a drainage pipe located four meters from its tank.
The slimy trail left behind on the floor helped the stunned staff trace Inky’s incredible journey from its tank to the drainage pipe.
The aquarium’s director attributes the escape to the octopus’s natural curiosity, noting that Inky didn’t seem unhappy in its tank, given the solitary nature of the species. Not as surprised as his staff, the manager admits that octopuses are capable of squeezing through very tight spaces:
« Octopuses can pass through extremely small openings. Even an adult male can slip through a gap the size of its mouth, which, with its beak, is the only truly hard part of its body. »
Octopus escapes are not as rare as one might think. These creatures are known for their ability to manipulate objects and squeeze into surprisingly small spaces, which sometimes allows them to outsmart human confinement systems. Many aquariums have already witnessed such escapes, highlighting the agility and resourcefulness of octopuses. Inky is therefore not an isolated case, but perfectly embodies the ingenuity of these fascinating marine creatures, capable of turning their captivity into an opportunity to regain their freedom.
Source: science post
