Hidden deep within the ocean, you’ll find some of the strangest and most fascinating creatures imaginable. And you’ll be able to get up close to many of them right here.
We’ve got ghostly jellyfish, creepy Giant Spider Crabs, and even a Giant Pacific Octopus.
It’s the ocean as you’ve never seen it before.
Can you guess what creature I am?
Right now, I only weigh about 10 pounds, but I'm still very young. As I grow up, I can average up to 200 pounds, and measure 25 feet in length. I am very strong, and can survive out of water for short time. I have a parrot-like beak, which I use to crack open crabs and other hard-shelled animals…my favorite snack! My beak is the only hard part of my body; the rest is soft and squishy. Remarkably, I can squeeze through any space bigger than a quarter! What creature am I?
Common Name: Giant Pacific Octopus Latin Name: Enteroctopus dofleini Size: Usually up to 25 feet across from arm tip to arm tip, around 200 pounds. Range: Along northern Pacific coasts, from southern California up through the coast of Alaska, and southward to Japan. Habitat: Rocky shores from the shallows to depths of 1650 feet. Diet: Shrimp, crabs, scallops, abalones, clams, and fish. Interesting Fact: An octopus is a cephalopod, which means "head-footed." It has this name because its legs are attached to its head. On Exhibit: Jules Verne Gallery- Zone D
Lots of people are fans of the octopus, but few realize what an amazing animal it truly is. The Giant Pacific Octopus is one of the largest kinds of octopus in the world. Adventure Aquarium's octopus is named George Jr., and he weighs about 10 pounds… but he's still very young. An octopus's mouth has a parrot-like beak, which it uses to crack open crabs and other hard-shelled animals. That beak is the only hard part of an octopus's body; the rest is soft and squishy. Remarkably, an octopus can squeeze through any opening that's bigger than its beak. Usually, that's any space bigger than a quarter!
I'm sure you know that an octopus has 8 arms, but did you know that each is covered in about 280 suction cups? That's about 2240 in total. These suction cups are covered in taste buds, so if an octopus touches something, it also tastes it! The octopus is also extremely intelligent. Some biologists think that they are about as smart as your average housecat. At the aquarium, we don't want George Jr. to get bored, so we give him things to play with. He gets toys, a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, and even children's games. George Jr. also enjoys a good challenge when he's eating. Usually, our biologists will take a crab (one of his favorite foods), stick it inside a jar, screw the lid on, and put it in George Jr.'s exhibit. Our little octopus is smart enough to unscrew the lid to get his dinner! Pretty amazing, huh?
Here are some more amazing facts about the Giant Pacific Octopus: They can re-grow lost arms; they can change both the color and the texture of their skin; they can drill through hard shells with their tongues; they can squirt ink to confuse other animals; they can travel by water-jet-propulsion; and they have blue blood and three hearts! Can you believe it? We'd say it's probably enough to fill you with fascination- and that's just one animal! Just think of all there is to learn about all our other animals. So why not come to Adventure Aquarium this summer and rediscover your fascination with the sea!
I'm sure you know that an octopus has 8 arms, but did you know that each is covered in about 280 suction cups? That's about 2240 in total. These suction cups are covered in taste buds, so if an octopus touches something, it also tastes it! The octopus is also extremely intelligent. Some biologists think that they are about as smart as your average housecat. At the aquarium, we don't want George Jr. to get bored, so we give him things to play with. He gets toys, a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, and even children's games. George Jr. also enjoys a good challenge when he's eating. Usually, our biologists will take a crab (one of his favorite foods), stick it inside a jar, screw the lid on, and put it in George Jr.'s exhibit. Our little octopus is smart enough to unscrew the lid to get his dinner! Pretty amazing, huh? 
