As It HappensBeloved octopus showered by love and farewell wishes as she spends final days caring for eggs
Ghost the giant Pacific octopus has been a viral sensation since her arrival at the Aquarium of the Pacific in California last summer.
But these days she leads a quieter life — albeit, showered by farewell wishes and love from adoring fans.
Ghost is dying. The octopus is in her final phase of life, known as senescence, caring for the eggs she laid just last week. The average lifespan for this octopus is about three to five years.
“We removed her from her habitat,” Nate Jaros, the aquarium’s animal care vice-president told As It Happens host Nil Köksal. “She went to a special holding area that we have behind her exhibit where she gets more peace and quiet for this phase of her life.”
Jaros says most octopuses only live between one and three months after that phase begins.
“Octopuses only reproduce once,” Jaros said. “[The females] spend the remainder of their lives, caring for the eggs and ensuring that they have the best chance of hatching and best chance at survival.”
During this period, an octopus may neglect their own basic needs such as eating, in favour of protecting her eggs and aerating them to fight off the growth of bacteria or other harmful agents. But Jaros says the octopus doesn’t provide any maternal care after they hatch.
“It’s pretty wild. They have up to 100,000 eggs, which is incredible,” he said. “Only about one per cent or less of those hatchlings will actually survive.”
Ghost’s eggs are unfertilized, however, and will never hatch.
Out in the waters of British Columbia, where Ghost is from, giant Pacific octopuses live alone and only come together to reproduce. Jaros says the male and female octopuses don’t naturally cohabitate; they don’t get along.
“They’re at high risk of aggression or even potentially death,” he said.
Despite her solitary tendencies, Ghost is not without friends — at least of the mammal kind. When she arrived at the aquarium in May 2024, the then-tiny, three-pound cephalopod quickly captured the hearts of her handlers for her “spunky” and “outgoing” character, Jaros says.
“She is a wonderful octopus and has made an eight-armed impression on all of our hearts.”– Aquarium of the Pacific
Now she weighs more than 22 kilograms. She’s certainly grown, and so has her following.
Some fans have shared on social media that they have a tattoo of Ghost, or plan to wear a sweater emblazoned with her image in her honour.
“She is a wonderful octopus and has made an eight-armed impression on all of our hearts,” the aquarium said on Instagram.
For marine biology student Jay McMahon of Los Angeles, that sentiment hits home. A visitor of the aquarium since the age of four, McMahon said he was glad he was able to see Ghost one last time during a recent visit.
“When you make a connection with an animal like that and you know they don’t live for that long, every moment means a lot,” he told The Associated Press.
“I just hope she encourages people to learn more about the octopus and how important they are.”
