Aquarium of the Pacific octopus enters final phase of life, will spend last days caring for eggs that can't hatch

A beloved octopus that has drawn thousands of people's attention at the Aquarium of the Pacific has entered the final phase of its life, which will be fully devoted to eggs that can never hatch. 

Ghost, a giant Pacific octopus, has laid eggs and entered the final stage of her life cycle, according to a social media post from the aquarium. 

"Senescence begins when a female lays eggs and devotes the rest of her life to caring for them, neglecting her own basic needs like eating," the post said. 

Her eggs, however, are unfertilized as the Aquarium of the Pacific does not pair octopuses with a mate to prevent early senescence. 

According to the aquarium's website, giant Pacific octopuses lay up to 74,000 eggs in a deep den or cave. Once they lay the eggs, the female will spend seven months looking after them, keeping guard by using her arms to siphon and circulate the water around them. 

They say that giant Pacific octopuses typically live to be four or five on average, and that while they're unsure of Ghost's exact age, they believe she is in the age range based on her weight and size. 

"She is a wonderful octopus and has made an eight-armed impression on all of our hearts," the post said. "In the coming days, she will be moved behind the scenes for the remainder of her life."