BERLIN
Paul the octopus, who shot to fame during this year’s football World Cup for his flawless record in predicting game results, has died peacefully in his sleep, his German aquarium said on Tuesday.
“Management and staff at the Oberhausen Sea Life Centre were devastated to discover that oracle octopus Paul, who achieved global renown during the recent World Cup, had passed away overnight,” the aquarium said in a statement.
“He appears to have passed away peacefully during the night, of natural causes,” said Sea Life manager Stefan Porwoll. “His success made him almost a bigger story than the World Cup itself… We had all naturally grown very fond of him and he will be sorely missed.”
Paul beat the odds during the World Cup by correctly forecasting all eight games he was asked to predict, including Spain’s 1-0 win over the Netherlands in the final.
For the prediction, two boxes were lowered into the salty soothsayer’s tank, each containing a mussel and the flags of the two opposing teams. Watched by a myriad of reporters, Paul would head to one box, wrench open the lid and gobble the tasty morsel, with the box he plumped for being deemed the likely winner.
His astonishing ability made him a global media phenomenon. His later predictions were carried live on rolling news channels in Germany. Within an hour of his death, more than 150 messages of condolence were posted on Paul’s “official” Facebook page.
“Paul, we will never forget you. We love you,” wrote one. “There will never be an octopus as cool as you again,” wrote another. Paul himself “wrote” from beyond the grave, “It seems my time has come, finally. Take care everybody. Hugs and don’t forget me.” Paul’s body is now in cold storage while the aquarium decides “how best to mark his passing”.
“We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our grounds and erect a modest permanent shrine,” said Porwoll. “While this may seem a curious thing to do for a sea creature, Paul achieved such popularity during his short life that it may be deemed the most appropriate course of action.”
