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Dubai Aquarium makes way for giant octopus

The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is now home to a giant Pacific octopus that is found in the North Pacific Ocean and is the largest species among octopuses.

The giant Pacific octopus is extremely intelligent and can work out puzzles and remember complicated routes. — Supplied photo

Reaching 4.3 metres in height and weighing more than 70 kg, the giant octopus has almost no bones, allowing it to slip into very small crevices to reach for food or hide from predators. Its head contains all vital organs including three hearts, while the rest of the body essentially constitutes eight arms. It has excellent eyesight and can taste with its tentacles.

Being one of the most intelligent invertebrates, they can work out puzzles and complicated routes through a maze in only a couple of attempts. They also master the art of camouflaging, being able to change the colour and texture of their skin using specialised skin cells.

The underwater zoo, located on level 2 above the main aquarium, presents the biodiversity in different ecological zones including rainforest, rocky shore and living ocean. Apart from Humboldt penguins and Caiman crocodiles, the animals featured here include piranhas, giant spider crabs, small claw otters, sea jellies and clown fish.

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