Gpo

[Quarrior]

I remember seeing the GPOs up in Seattle when you all were kind enough to host me a couple years ago.

Anyway, I was watching Animal Planet last night and saw something interesting about the GPO.

It seems there was an Aquarium that had a GPO in a tank that it outgrew so they moved it to the main aquarium with all the other critters including sharks. Now, this was not a small GPO, so keep that in mind.

Apparently after a few days they started seeing carcasses in the tank and couldn't figure out what was happening. So, they hung around all night long to see if they could figure it out. To their astonishment the GPO was catching and feeding on the sharks. They even filmed it and the video was on the show last night.

Shark wasn't that big, maybe 4ft - 5ft. It was doing it's normal swim around and the GPO reached out an arm and grabbed it when it came close enough. There was a bit of a tussle, but the shark didn't stand a chance.

I was amazed. I thought they only ate small stuff.

Good reason to keep your hands to yourself, huh?

 

[jumbo]

I got it,

I have that vid on my laptop and I show it to students

Makes you think what it could do to a feeble diver

 

[Cold_H2O]

GPO's are amazing animals.
Very intelligent.

Its always good to remember who is a visitor when diving.

 

[gcbryan]

Mouse, the female GPO at the Seattle Aquarium climbed out of her tank a few weeks ago and was found on the floor by staff. She lived. So she was intellegent enough to get out of the tank but not intellegent enough to get back in or to know that a GPO can't live without water.

 

[Cold_H2O]

Is the male GPO still in the larger tank?
I have heard that he will reach in and touch her.
I wonder if she was just trying to get away from him..

They both are beautiful creatures.
Glad to hear the staff found her before it was too late.

 

[diveborg]

I've seen that video on a PBS show about GPO's. Pretty amazing. I've always been cautious around them when they are out in the open, especially if they live up to their name; "giant".