Atly the Giant Pacific Octopus

Meet Atly, the Resident Octopus

Atly is a Giant Pacific Octopus, the largest octopus species in the world, capable of stretching several meters across when fully extended. This live aquarium camera looks directly into her tank, capturing her fluid, ever-changing movements across the rockwork.

Inside the Marine Life Center

The exhibit sits at the Marine Life Center, part of the Port of Bellingham's waterfront campus, where staff maintain a naturalistic tank of stacked rock and encrusting invertebrates. The clear viewing panel lets visitors, and this camera, observe the octopus at extremely close range.

A Window into the Salish Sea

Beyond Atly herself, the tank hosts a living community of Pacific Northwest marine species, from anemones to sea stars, all native to the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Salish Sea. The setup mirrors the biodiversity found just offshore in Bellingham Bay.

A Small Aquarium with a Big Mission

Operated as part of the Port's public-engagement efforts, the Marine Life Center gives visitors a rare, sustained look at cephalopod behavior that is normally hidden beneath the surface, turning a single tank into an ongoing lesson in marine biology.