Reiss Jenkinson, exhibits keeper at the National Aquarium, said he was absolutely certain Inky had not been taken. “I understand the nature of octopus behavior very well,” he said. “I have seen octopuses on boats slip through bilge pumps. And, the security here is too tight for anyone to take Inky and why would they?” Because octopuses have no bones, they are able to fit into extremely small spaces and have been filmed squeezing through gaps the size of coins. They are also understood to be extremely intelligent and capable of using tools. At the Island Bay Marine Education Center in Wellington, an octopus was found to be in the habit of visiting another tank overnight to steal crabs, then returning to its own. Another at the center, Ozymandias, was thought to have broken a world record for opening a jar before it was released into the ocean.
How good is the security of the aquarium, according to Jenkinson?
Too good for anything to be stolen from the aquarium without the theft being noticed Not great, since the aquarium didn’t think anyone would try to steal from them Not effective, as crabs and other creatures have been stolen in the past It used to be poor, but became more secure in response to Inky’s disappearance