Inky octopus 'defected' from New Zealand aquarium

A rugby-sized octopus made a daring escape through a narrow tube at New Zealand's national aquarium.

According to Straistimes, the report said the octopus had returned to the ocean. Inky is a male octopus delivered to Napier fish tank two years ago after being released from a pot of crayfish.

He found himself free by weaving through a small space in his aquarium area, sliding through the wet floor and crawling through a 150mm diameter pipe, Fairfax New Zealand said.

"Octopus is a very intelligent animal, extremely curious and they tend to discover everything when they have a chance," says aquarium manager Rob Yarrell on Wednesday.

Inky, the male octopus delivered to Napier Aquarium two years ago escaped by forcing himself to squeeze through a 150mm diameter water pipe.(National Aquarium of New Zealand / Facebook).

Reports do not specify when Inky escaped, this is the first true story reported in the aquarium center.

"They are great escape artists," Yarrell told the New Zealand Herald. He said the staff will closely monitor the remaining octopus on the aquarium.

"Inky is about the size of a rugby ball and it can extend its maximum body to get through small spaces," said Yarrell.

"As long as its mouth can fit in," he told Fairfax. "Their bodies are soft but they have a big mouth, like a parrot."