A dying octopus at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is receiving an outflowing of love and well wishes as she spends her final days pouring her last energy into caring for her eggs — even though they will never hatch.
Many on social media have reminisced about seeing the giant Pacific octopus named Ghost when they had visited the aquarium. Some shared that they had a tattoo of Ghost or would wear a sweater emblazoned with the beloved cephalopod in her memory.
“She is a wonderful octopus and has made an eight-armed impression on all of our hearts,” the aquarium said on Instagram.
Ghost laid eggs earlier this week and entered the last phase of her life cycle, known as senescence. During this period, the octopus will neglect her own basic needs like eating, instead focusing on protecting her eggs and aerating them to prevent bacteria or other harmful agents from growing on them.
Ghost’s eggs are unfertilized and will never hatch, however. In the wild, giant Pacific octopuses spend their whole lives alone and only come together for a brief instance to reproduce.
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