Weymouth's psychic octopus Paul is no sucker (From Dorset Echo)

Weymouth's psychic octopus Paul is no sucker

9:00am Friday 9th July 2010 in News

THE ‘psychic’ octopus born at Weymouth’s Sea Life Park was again proved right after correctly predicting Germany’s World Cup defeat.

Paul the octopus foretold that Spain would beat Germany 1-0 in their semi-final tournament clash on Wednesday.

The octopus, who was born in Weymouth four years ago before being relocated to Oberhausen, Germany, has been making World Cup predictions about Germany by selecting a mussel from one of two boxes placed in its tank.

One box carried the German flag and the other the flag of the opposing team and whichever mussel Paul picked first was taken as its prediction.

Paul correctly foretold Germany’s 1-0 defeat against Serbia in the World Cup group stage and Germany’s subsequent wins against England and Argentina.

Weymouth Sea Life Park’s senior aquarist Matthew Fuller said: “It’s the first time I’ve known of an octopus making predictions, so it is quite a surprise.

“They are the most intelligent of all the invertebrates and studies have shown they are able to distinguish shapes and patterns so maybe he’s able to recognise flags.”