by Tina Kelly, Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea
What’s in a name? Attaching a moniker to the giant Pacific octopus at the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea is not usually so straightforward. Choosing a theme, community votes and tallying ballots roll on for weeks before a winner is announced. You may even have cast an octopus name ballot yourself. But this time around, the naming task was simple — to recognize BC’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry.
Like much of the province, the aquarium team tuned in daily at 3:00pm throughout the spring to take in Dr. Bonnie Henry’s updates, advice and calm delivery of the ever-changing science and understanding of the virus. Much needed was someone to trust, a strong leader and a calm, clear communicator who also showed empathy and kindness. And that is undoubtedly what the residents of BC received. Acknowledging the incredible contribution Dr. Henry has made to our safety and overall approach to the pandemic with an octopus namesake was an easy and unanimous decision.
The Centre welcomed a new octopus in the middle of June, shortly after reopening. Pebbles, their previous octopus was released back to the wild in mid-March. While this coincided with the Centre’s closure due to COVID-19, the octopus release was pre-planned as part of the octopus ambassador program; each resident octopus lives at the Centre for roughly six months before being released to the same area in which they were found. In the aquarium’s 11 years, there have been many octopus ambassadors — Dennis, Darla, Emily, Hermione, Steve, The Dude, Norm, Jar Jar, Nellie, Billie, Olive, Sylvia, Buttercup and Polkadot. (How many have you met?) And now added to that list is Henry.
Henry is a giant Pacific octopus; the largest octopus species in the world, topping out at six metres, measured arm tip to arm tip. The giant in giant Pacific octopus is a clear measure of the team’s admiration, but add to that the fun fact octopuses have three hearts. A fitting tribute as the heart symbol has come to reflect gratitude for Dr. Henry, healthcare workers and frontline staff.
Another octopus attribute fitting for this accolade is an octopus’ level of intelligence; octopus and other cephalopods are considered to be the most intelligent invertebrates.
Henry arrived from the west coast of Vancouver Island. It was not until the team welcomed the octopus that they could determine its sex. How do you sex an octopus? Find the third arm on their right and look for a specialized appendage called a hectocotylus; the male octopus uses the hectocotylus to fertilize a female. On a female, all eight arms look the same, with suckers extending down to the tip of each arm. Making the discovery the new octopus was indeed male, and determined to honour the health officer, the Centre shifted the name choice from Bonnie to Henry.
You can visit Henry the octopus five days a week. The Centre is currently open Friday-Tuesday, 10:00am-4:30pm. However, if Dr. Henry wishes to meet Henry, the Centre declares their door is always open.
If you visit, remember the words of Dr. Henry, “Be kind. Be calm. Be safe.”
*Original article in September’s Seaside Magazine. Read issue here.