By Sakshi Sah
Published Mar 09, 2025

Hindustan Times
Trending

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Why do female octopuses die after reproducing? 6 unbelievable facts

Female octopuses have a strange and tragic life cycle.

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After laying their eggs, they stop eating and die before their babies even hatch.

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Once they lay their eggs, they devote themselves entirely to protecting them, staying close to their nest and ensuring the eggs receive enough oxygen.

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Caring for the eggs is the last thing a female octopus will ever do.

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This extreme dedication leads to her eventual death.

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One of the strangest parts of this process is that mother octopuses die of starvation. Even when food is available, they refuse to eat.

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Some female octopuses don’t just starve but harm themselves, tearing their skin and eating their own arms, speeding up their death.

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The death of female octopuses after reproduction remains one of nature’s most fascinating mysteries.

Photo Credit: Flickr