Portland, OR (PRWEB) January 30, 2014
“Portland Aquariums newest resident, a Giant Pacific Octopus, is named “Triton” and actually he is just a little guy right now, but he is growing fast, said a Portland Aquarium staff marine biologist. Triton is shy and a crowd favorite at the aquarium, he is about 3 feet across when he stretches. Triton is estimated to currently be about a year old. He has already doubled in size since he started his residence at Portland Aquarium, growing from a weight of 1.47kg to a weight of 2.80kg in less than two months.
Portland Aquariums Staff conducted a poll for naming the Giant Pacific Octopus on their Portland Aquarium Facebook page. The name Triton won with 38% of the vote! Staff members chose 4 options to let the public pick from: Triton, Poseidon, Luca, and Squiggles.
Giant Pacific Octopuses (GPOs) are considered the largest octopus species on earth reaching sizes of up to 25 feet across! These solitary, nocturnal predators spend most of the day inside of a rocky den and typically come out of their den at night to hunt for food. Like other octopus species, GPOs are masters of disguise, having the ability to instantaneously change both the color and texture of their skin in order to stay hidden as they hunt. In addition to their impressive camouflage capabilities, Giant Pacific Octopuses are also quite intelligent.
You can learn even more about Triton at 12pm and 5pm each day when Portland Aquarium staff members give interactive educational talks about him in front of his tank. Also check out Portland Aquariums latest educational display features new sharks that are known as juvenile epaulette sharks, also known as “Walking Sharks.”
About Portland Aquarium:
Portland Aquarium is a hands-on aquarium in Oregon. Visitors may feed Black Tip Reef Sharks, Bat Rays, Southern Stingrays, and Lorikeets. Families can take part in many other activities as well.