Spring is finally here and love is in the air. At least it is for J-1, the world's largest and oldest giant Pacific Octopus, (living in captivity), at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Anchorage. At the grand old age of 5, which is equivalent to 75 in octopus years, it seemed that love had passed poor J-1 by. His health had already begun to decline and aquarists at the center feared he would never get the chance to do what all good octopi are supposed to do just before they die...produce other little octopi.
Funny Weird News - World's largest octopus in captivity finally loses virginity
Photos: J-1 turns from white to blue before enjoying a quick leg-over, leg-over, leg-over, leg-over, leg-over...
That was until SeaLife Center curator, Richard Hocking, introduced the center's latest acquisition, the very fetching and slightly younger Aurora, into J-1's 3,600-gallon exhibit tank.
Initially, Aurora merely sank to the bottom of the tank but then, deciding to take matters into her own abundant hands, she slowly made her way over to J-1, who was hanging out on a rock wall. At first he was overcome with shyness, which is not surprising for an octopus who has lived the bachelor life since he was collected on a beach near Seldovia in 1999 when he was only about the size of a shrimp.
Aquarists at the center watched with baited breath as the beautiful Aurora gently reached out a tentacle and touched him. Contact made, she went back to her corner of the tank.
With so little time left, J-1 wasn't going to let the sweet Aurora slip through his suckered grip that easily. After rapidly changing color from white to dark blue/red, (the octopus equivalent of shouting "Fwhoah!"), J-1, dispelled a swift jet of water from his siphon and raced rapidly across the tank, in hot pursuit. Then, after quickly entwining his eight arms with hers the two retreated to a secluded corner where they remained for the next eight hours 'getting to know each other a little better'.
"We are very proud of the old fellow", curator Richard Hocking told reporters on Wednesday. "We really were not sure he had it in him!"
J-1 was later seen at the upper corner of the tank smoking a cigarette with a stupid, but satisfied grin on his face. Meanwhile, Aurora briefly held a press conference in which she told reporters, "He was an animal! His hands were all over me! Like a bloody octopus, he was!".
2005-2006 The Daily Happy Pill ™. All rights reserved.
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