SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Tako, OdySea Aquarium's Giant Pacific Octopus, has passed away after entering her final stage of life earlier this year, known as senescence.
“Tako was gentle, loving, and unique; she created special bonds with everyone who cared for her at OdySea Aquarium. The perfect ambassador for her species, Tako truly became the real ‘octopus teacher,’ inspiring people everywhere to care about octopuses. She touched many hearts, and we will feel her indelible mark for a long time to come,” said Dave Peranteau, Director of Animal Care, on Facebook post by the OdySea Aquarium.
TAKO MADE A SPECIAL BOND BEFORE SHE LEFT
Paige Hundley, an Animal Care Specialist II at OdySea, was Tako’s primary caretaker.
She began working at the aquarium about a month after Tako arrived in 2020. The pair grew close during the pandemic when the aquarium was not open to guests.
“It was just us. We were able to create that bond. Unfortunately, or fortunately, we've created a very, very close bond,” Hundley told ABC15 earlier this year.
Senescence, Hundley explained, is when a female octopus enters the last stage of its life. They lay anywhere between 10,000 to 70,000 eggs and spend the remainder of their lives taking care of them. That can be weeks to months, depending on the octopus’ health.
To read more about Tako her caretaker and “senescence,” click here.
