A giant Pacific octopus at the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea now has a name, following a public voting process that wrapped up just before the winter holidays.
The octopus, which arrived at the Sidney aquarium in October, was officially named Chuck(anut) after visitors cast paper ballots between November 25th and December 21st.
Votes were tallied this week, with Chuck(anut) emerging as the top choice.
Naming the Centre’s resident octopus has become a tradition for regular visitors. Each year, the animal serves as an ambassador for the Salish Sea for approximately six months before being released back into the wild.
This year’s naming theme focused on salmon-bearing streams, creeks and rivers, selected to coincide with the fall salmon-spawning season.
The list of eight names reflected waterways in both BC and Washington State, underscoring the shared and cross-border nature of the Salish Sea ecosystem.
The shortlisted names included Chuck(anut), Skagit and Elwha from Washington, alongside Ayum, Fraser, Gabo, Squamish and T’Sou-ke from British Columbia.
After a close early race with Fraser, Chuck(anut) moved into the lead and maintained it through the end of the voting period.
During the octopus’s stay through the winter, visitors will learn about giant Pacific octopus biology, Salish Sea geography, Chuckanut Creek and elements of Coast Salish languages, including Nooksack and Lummi.
The octopus is expected to be released back into the Salish Sea in the spring.
The Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea is open with daily programming throughout the school winter holidays, with closures on December 31st and January 1st.
