The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is mourning the loss of Ghost, its beloved giant Pacific octopus, who died Tuesday after entering the natural end-of-life process known as senescence.
According to the aquarium, Ghost had laid eggs and entered senescence — the final phase of a female octopus’s life cycle — in September 2025. The aquarium announced her passing on Wednesday.
Ghost arrived at the Long Beach aquarium in May 2024, weighing about three pounds. She grew to more than 50 pounds and was estimated to be between two and four years old at the time of her death.
During her final months, Ghost was moved behind the scenes, where aquarium staff cared for her around the clock. That care included hand-prepared, restaurant-quality seafood, specially curated enrichment activities, and state-of-the-art veterinary support. Like others of her species, she devoted much of her remaining time to guarding and cleaning her eggs, even though they were unfertilized and would never hatch.
Nate Jaros, vice president of animal care at the Aquarium of the Pacific, shared his thoughts on her passing. “We are going to miss her,” Jaros told ABC7. “Ghost left a big impression on us and on so many people, even those beyond our aquarium. She was spirited and very charismatic and loved to interact with our animal care staff. She was very engaged with the mazes and puzzles our staff created just for her. Ghost had a preference for interacting with her aquarist caregiver, sometimes preferring these interactions over eating. She was especially inquisitive when our staff members would dive in the habitat for maintenance.”
Ghost was well known among visitors and staff alike for her intelligence, curiosity, and playful personality. As the New York Post reported, she regularly engaged with keepers and enrichment toys, showcasing the kind of problem-solving skills that make octopuses some of the most intelligent invertebrates in the ocean.
Giant Pacific octopuses are the largest octopus species on Earth. They typically live between two and five years and spend most of their lives alone, coming together only briefly to reproduce. After laying eggs, females enter senescence — a process driven by hormonal changes that causes them to stop eating, deteriorate physically, and ultimately die while still guarding their eggs. The process cannot be stopped or prevented, even by removing the eggs.
Jaros said he hopes Ghost’s story will leave a lasting impact beyond the aquarium’s walls. “We hope part of her legacy is raising awareness about octopuses and inspiring people to care for and protect the ocean,” he said.
Recent Comments