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An octopus that developed a cult following at a California aquarium has been guarding eggs that will never be fertilized as she reaches the end stages of her life. Ghost, a giant Pacific octopus, came to Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach back in May 2024, according to The Washington Post. Described as intelligent and beautiful, she has been dazzling tourists and her caretakers for over a year thanks to her uniquely outgoing nature and tendency to perform for visitors in her tank. Ghost recently laid her eggs, the aquarium announced earlier in September, which for her species unfortunately means she has entered the final part of her life, otherwise known as senescence. Now gone from her public tank, she will live out the rest of her days in solitude, guarding eggs that will tragically never be fertilized. Nate Jaros, the aquarium's vice president of animal care, told The Post that this is the natural life cycle of a giant Pacific octopus. Females, which have a lifespan of three to five years, lay eggs right before they die. Once they do, they lose their appetite, their pigmentation and their arm flexibility. They even begin to develop white lesions. Jaros said signs of Ghost's senescence have been minimal and that she remains just as committed to protecting her eggs, even if it means not eating. Jaros said the aquarium won't place a male in her tank to fertilize her eggs because the animals are territorial. Her fans, saddened that her life is coming to close, have recounted their experiences with Ghost. 'I hope she knows that she's greatly loved, and she'll be greatly missed,' Josie Li, who visited Ghost in January, told the Post. 'She's doing what any other female octopus would: lay her eggs and protect them. I know she'd do a good job doing her motherly duties.' When Ghost arrived at the aquarium last year, she was just three pounds and had come from a vetted collector in British Columbia, Canada, Jaros explained. Now 50 pounds, she has a bright pink coloration, is extremely active, and is able to solve puzzles. She is also affectionate, often pushing her food to the side to put her arms around her caretakers, almost as though she was hugging them. Marla Husovsky, who has a membership at the aquarium, said she felt like Ghost always knew when visitors were there because she would spread her tentacles for them as if she were putting on a show. Occasionally, she would even turn her head toward them. Li was able to meet Ghost during a special tour. The friendly octopus swam over to greet her visitors and wrap her arms around their hands, she told the Post. Nicole Marie Whiting told the Post that Ghost is her 5-year-old daughter Aurora's favorite animal at the aquarium. 'She's like a very, very pretty strawberry,' Aurora said. While disappointed at her demise, Whiting pointed out that death is a part of life. 'It's not always a sad thing, even though it is hard to say goodbye,' she said.
