Paul the Octopus, the tentacled tipster
who fascinated football fans by correctly predicting results at this
year's World Cup, died Tuesday.
Paul had reached octopus old age of 2{ years and died in his tank
on Tuesday morning in an aquarium in the western German city of
Oberhausen, spokeswoman Ariane Vieregge said.
Paul seemed to be in good shape when he was checked late Monday,
but he did not make it through the night. He died of natural causes,
Vieregge added.
"We had all naturally grown very fond of him and he will be
sorely missed," Sea Life manager Stefan Porwoll said in a
statement.
The aquarium has not yet decided how best to commemorate their
most famous resident, he said.
"We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our
grounds, and erect a modest permanent shrine," Porwoll said.
After rising to global prominence during the World Cup in South
Africa in June and July, Paul retired from the predictions business
after the final between Spain and the Netherlands - the result of
which he also forecast correctly - and returned to his prime role of
making children happy.
The blogosphere erupted in sympathy for Paul, although some saw
him more as a tasty morsel than a departed friend. "Will they cook
him Galician-style? I wonder how much a plate of Paul with a beer
must cost," wrote Jordi, alluding to the popularity of octopus as a
dish in the northwest Galicia region and much of Spain.
Others were more philosophical on hearing of Paul's death.
"For the next month I will go to class dressed in mourning,
wrapped in a black suit and with my gaze lost in the horizon, as
this calamitous event deserves no less," wrote 'relojero' which
means watchmaker. Another blogger, Pedro, saw a sinister hand at
work. "An autopsy should be carried out, it's certain some betting
office killed him."
In July, the Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen said Paul was
stepping "back from the official oracle business.
"He won't give any more oracle predictions - neither in
football, nor in politics, lifestyle or economy," said spokeswoman
Tanja Munzig. "Paul will get back to his former job, namely making
children laugh."
Paul correctly tipped the outcome of all seven of Germany's
games. He made his predictions by opening the lid of one of two
clear plastic boxes, each containing a mussel and bearing a team
flag.
After his World Cup soothsaying skills were revealed, the
English-born Paul was appointed as an ambassador to England's bid to
host the 2018 World Cup. He had English roots, having been hatched
at Weymouth Sea Life Center on England's south coast in 2008.
Imitators sprang up all over the world, including Mani the
Parakeet in Singapore and Lorenzo the Parrot in Hannover, Germany.
The latest was a saltwater crocodile named Dirty Harry, who
predicted Spain's World Cup final win and called the result of
Australia's general election by snatching a chicken carcass dangling
beneath a caricature of Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
"El Pulpo Paul" became so popular in Spain that the
northwestern Spanish town of O Carballino tried to borrow him and
made him an "honorary friend."
In response to hundreds of requests to bring Paul to Spain, the
Madrid Zoo asked Sea Life if it would be willing to make a deal to
bring him in as a tribute to the Spanish football team's victory,
either temporarily or for good. But the German aquarium turned down
that offer, too.
Paul also had an agent and Paul's name will live on the Greek
island of Zakynthos, where a permanent sea turtle rescue center
funded in part by donations generated by the famous octopus is being
established.
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