Giant isopod fasts for 4 years, still doesn’t care to eat

Minders at the Toba Aquarium in Japan say a male giant isopod know as “No. 1” last ate now more than 1500 days ago, on 2 January 2009, a horse mackerel which it devoured in just five minutes. That’s 18 days before President Obama began his first term. They’ve tried everything, but the animal justs pretends to eat, rubs its face on dead fish, before walking away. But, the mysterious behavior has not taken an obvious toll on No. 1, which has reportedly remained healthy during its long period of abstaining. Read for instance NPR

“Giant isopods are always in a state of semihibernation because they don’t know when they can eat, so they limit their energy on breathing and other activities,” marine ecologist Taeko Kimura tells Japan Times. “For that purpose they sometimes keep a large amount of fat in their livers, so maybe No. 1 still has a source of energy in its body, and that’s why it still has no appetite.”