Football seer Paul the Octopus dies

Football seer Paul the Octopus dies

The psychic Paul the Octopus, who correctly predicted the outcomes of World Cup matches, died on Tuesday at the Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany, spokesperson Ariane Vieregge announced.

Paul, who was an instant celebrity during the football event, has reached two and a half years old, which is considered an old age for an octopus.

The octopus correctly picked the result of seven matches of Germany by opening a lid of two boxes with a team flag inside.

Caretakers did not notice anything unusual with Paul when he was seen on Monday but was found dead the following morning.

“We had all naturally grown very fond of him and he will be sorely missed,” Stefan Porwoll, manager of Sea Life, said in a statement. “We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our grounds, and erect a modest permanent shrine.”

Paul grabbed the limelight during the World Cup held in South Africa in June and July, but retreated to his old job of entertaining kids who come to the aquarium soon after the tournament ended.

Sea Life announced the decision then, saying, “He won’t give any more predictions — either in football, nor in politics, lifestyle or economy.”

Paul, who was originally from England, was designated as an ambassador to England’s campaign to host the World Cup in 2018. He had been hatched at Weymouth Sea Life Center in southern England in 2008.

In Greece, a sea turtle rescue facility funded from donations elicited by Paul’s abilities and media attention, is currently being constructed.

Posted by Andre Monohan on Wednesday October 27 2010, 5:22 AM EDT. Ref: MSNBC. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0