Teluk Napoli

Polly tiba di atas Teluk Napoli pada pagi menjelang siang. Airnya berwarna seperti kaca hijau. Gunung Vesuvius berdiri di sisi jauh teluk, sebagian tertutup kabut. Udara berbau garam dan solar dari kapal-kapal nelayan.

Polly came in over the Bay of Naples in late morning. The water was the colour of green glass. Mount Vesuvius sat on the far side of the bay, partly hidden by haze. The air smelled of salt and diesel from fishing boats.

Dia mengikuti garis pantai. Dia bisa melihat jemuran tergantung di balkon dan skuter di jalanan.

She followed the shoreline. She could see laundry hanging from balconies and scooters in the streets.

Tujuannya adalah sebuah bangunan tua di tepi air. Sebuah plakat kuningan kecil bertuliskan STAZIONE ZOOLOGICA ANTON DOHRN, FONDATA 1872.

Her destination was an old building on the water. A small brass plaque read STAZIONE ZOOLOGICA ANTON DOHRN, FONDATA 1872.

Polly tahu tentang tempat ini. Tempat ini didirikan oleh seorang ahli zoologi Jerman bernama Anton Dohrn. Teluk Napoli adalah salah satu ekosistem laut terkaya di Eropa. Institut ini telah mempelajari gurita sejak tahun 1873. Ini adalah institut biologi laut tertua yang masih beroperasi di dunia.

Polly knew about this place. It had been founded by a German zoologist named Anton Dohrn. The Bay of Naples is one of the richest sea ecosystems in Europe. The institute has been studying octopuses since 1873. It is the oldest marine biology institute still working in the world.

Dia bertengger di pagar. Seorang peneliti muda dengan jas lab biru tua membuka pintu belakang. Dia melihat Polly dan tersenyum. "Masuklah."

She perched on the railing. A young researcher in a navy lab coat unlocked the back door. She saw Polly and smiled. "Come on in."

Bangunan itu berbau air laut. Koridor panjang menghubungkan ruangan-ruangan penuh dengan tangki. Melalui dinding kaca, Polly melihat ikan sarden, seekor gurita kecil di sudut, dan seekor kelinci laut di atas daun rumput laut.

The building smelled of seawater. Long corridors ran between rooms full of tanks. Through the glass walls, Polly saw sardines, a small octopus in a corner, and a sea hare on a kelp blade.

Nama peneliti itu adalah Chiara Bianchi. Dia telah mempelajari kognisi cephalopoda selama sembilan tahun. "Gurita adalah hewan paling cerdas di sini," katanya. "Atau setidaknya yang paling cerdas yang kami yakin sadar."

The researcher's name was Chiara Bianchi. She had been studying cephalopod cognition for nine years. "The octopuses are the smartest animals here," she said. "Or at least the smartest ones we are sure are conscious."

Mereka sampai di sebuah tangki bulat tinggi. Sebuah kartu di sampingnya bertuliskan PASTA, 2.3KG, GPO. Di dalamnya, terlipat dalam gulungan pipa plastik, ada seekor gurita Pasifik raksasa. Delapan lengannya melilit rapi di sekeliling tubuhnya. Satu mata emas mengawasi dari balik kaca.

They came to a tall round tank. A card on the side read PASTA, 2.3KG, GPO. Inside, folded into a coil of plastic pipe, was a giant Pacific octopus. Eight arms wrapped tidily around itself. One golden eye watched through the glass.

Chiara meletakkan kopinya. "Pasta," katanya, "kenalkan, ini Polly."

Chiara set her coffee down. "Pasta," she said, "meet Polly."

Gurita itu tidak bergerak. Tapi matanya tetap tertuju pada Polly.

The octopus did not move. But its eye stayed on Polly.

"Kamu bisa bertengger di tepi," kata Chiara. "Dia tidak akan memercikimu. Dia tenang di pagi hari. Dia menjadi pintar di sore hari."

"You can perch on the rim," Chiara said. "She will not splash you. She is calm in the mornings. She gets clever in the afternoons."