The Seattle Aquarium’s annual Valentine’s Day “blind date” for two giant Pacific octopus won’t take place again this year, but it’s for decidedly less gruesome reasons than last year.
Last year’s eight-tentacled blind date, usually accompanied by a host of human onlookers, as well as “decorative hearts, roses and romantic music” to set the mood, was cancelled out of fears that the 70-pound male, appropriately nicknamed “Kong,” might eat one of the 30-40 pound females rather than mate with them.
Classic story of boy eats girl, am I right?
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This year, female octopus “Raspberry” won’t be getting together with male “Pancake,” but not out of cannibalism fears. Instead, the aquarium found that Raspberry’s eggs had been fertilized prior to her arrival at the aquarium, so she will be released into Puget Sound on Tuesday instead of meeting up with Pancake, according to aquarium spokesperson Tim Kuniholm.
Someone give Pancake a hug.
Raspberry’s release will take place at noon and will be streamed live on the aquarium’s website.
Pancake will be released soon after, so maybe they can meet up. It’s not likely to be a very happy reunion, however. Giant Pacific octopus mate just once in their 3-to-4-year lives, then die soon after.
Love hurts.
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