An octopus at New Zealand's National Aquarium made a daring escape to the sea by fitting its rugby-ball-sized body through a small pipe in early 2016. Staff at the aquarium in Napier noticed the enclosure, which previously housed two octopuses, was left with a single inhabitant - Inky, a male common New Zealand octopus, had escaped.
Staff found octopus tracks, which showed he began his journey by slipping through a small gap in the top of his enclosure before traveling across a wet floor. He found a drain, about 150 millimetres in diameter, which led to the sea, and made a dash for freedom. Rob Yarrall from the National Aquarium said Inky was about the size of a rugby ball but octopuses could stretch themselves to extremes, allowing them to squeeze through almost any space. "As long as it's mouth can fit," Yarrall said. "Their bodies are squishy but they have a beak, like a parrot."
Since his disappearance aquarium staff have missed Inky, who was popular with staff and visitors, but they were pleased to see him return to the ocean, Yarrall said. Inky was given to the centre in 2014 after a fisherman and aquarium volunteer pulled him out of the ocean in a cray pot near Pania Reef, about half a kilometre north of the port of Napier. He had a few battle scars, which included shortened limbs. During his time at the aquarium he was entertained with games and toys and he was hand fed fish three times a week.
Hopefully Inky is now enjoying a thoroughly deserved relaxing life under the sea, recounting his tale of daring and intrigue to his octo-kids and grandkids. BYO pen and log extraction device as while the cache is small the log is tiny.