Vancouver Aquarium staff have released a lovelorn octopus to the ocean off the coast of Bowen Island. The animal care team at the aquarium noticed the female octopus was spending more time out of her den which is a behaviour associated with looking for a mate. They confirmed it was time for her to reproduce.
They received permission from Department of Fisheries and Oceans to transfer the octopus and the two organizations created a plan to return her to a den in nearby waters. On Friday, she was successfully transferred to ocean waters, with aquarium staff diving into the water with her to the ocean floor. Staff say she is back in the ocean where she can find a mate, lay eggs and contribute to the local Giant Pacific octopus population.
Giant Pacific octopuses are believed to be one of the largest and longest-living octopus species in the world. Their habitat ranges throughout the Pacific Ocean from California to Alaska and extends west to the Aleutian Islands and Japan.