Lingesan Perumal's unique connection with Gyuki

DRIVEN by his belief that “to truly connect to God, one must connect with nature”, Lingesan Perumal is living his dream by bonding with creatures from under the sea.

- YOSHINI PERUMAL

Perumal, 24, of Centenary Park in Phoenix, is an aquarist for the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR) and works at uShaka Marine World.

He has formed a special bond with an octopus he named Gyuki, which he has trained to respond to finger clicks, complete food puzzles, open feeder jars, and conquer maze tubes.

“I named him after a character from my favourite anime, who closely resembles an eight-tailed creature.

“When he first arrived, Gyuki was small, shy and cautious. He hid whenever I entered the exhibit for cleaning.

“But I always gave him the choice to engage.

“Over time, he began to trust me. Now, whenever I enter the exhibit, he doesn’t hide but becomes curious and playful,” said Perumal.

He said octopuses like Gyuki (Octopus vulgaris) were intelligent and believed to be capable of recognising individual humans by sight, scent and touch.

“To keep him mentally stimulated, I introduced enrichment activities like food puzzles, feeder jars and maze tubes. I also trained him to respond to finger clicks in the water. When he hears the sound, he comes to interact with me.

“When he wants my attention, he playfully squirts water at me, while I am in the exhibit.”

He said to gain Gyuki’s trust, he respected his boundaries.

“If he is not in the mood to interact, I give him space. That respect created a foundation of trust.

“His colour changes, and body language also communicates his mood. For example, when he displays dark colours and actively explores, it usually means he is excited or curious.

“Our bond is one of mutual respect and understanding. He continues to teach me so much about the emotional intelligence of marine life.”