The Seattle Aquarium's Octo-Sex Event Has Been Cancelled Again This Year—But There's Something Better Instead

Don't worry. You can still attend a special octo-event at the aquarium tomorrow at noon. FOTOKON/SHUTTERSTOCK

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Every year, the Seattle Aquarium hosts a Valentine's Day-themed "blind date" for two giant Pacific octopus* in the hope that the two will mate. This event has become a major public attraction for human voyeurs, complete with a playlist of smooth jams to set the mood for our octopus friends. Last year, however, the Seattle Aquarium cancelled its annual octopus "blind date" for fear that the male cephalopod would eat the significantly smaller female. This year, the event has been postponed a second time, but not for cannibalism concerns.

According to the Seattle Aquarium, "Raspberry," the female giant Pacific octopus chosen for our city's annual octo-fucking ritual, already had her eggs fertilized by another male—gasp!—prior to arriving at the aquarium. This morning, Raspberry started to drop her fertilized eggs just a day before her scheduled "blind date." As a result of this revelation, Raspberry will be ghosting "Pancake," her intended octo-suitor, and returning to Puget Sound to tend her eggs. (Poor Pancake. What a cuck!)

Despite the change of plans, the aquarium will still be hosting an octopus-themed event tomorrow at noon.

"[Raspberry] will be released beneath our pier and we will send a live camera to capture this event with our divers," aquarium spokesperson Tim Kuniholm told The Stranger. "Please come and see us release her at noon via live broadcast for Aquarium guests."

This outcome is an even more perfect celebration of revolutionary love for the year 2017. After all, Raspberry is her own octopus; no way is she letting any human tell her what to do with her reproductive system. (And if you're curious about how that reproductive system works, read more on the sex life of the giant Pacific octopus in this Brendan Kiley feature here.)

Shine on, Raspberry. Seattle supports you.

*Yes, this is technically the plural form of "octopus" unless in reference to multiple species!