Fluffy, St. Louis Aquarium's Beloved Giant Pacific Octopus, Dies

The St. Louis Aquarium is mourning the loss of its beloved eight-legged friend, Fluffy.

Fluffy, the giant Pacific octopus, has died, the aquarium announced Thursday (January 7).

Here’s the St. Louis Aquarium’s full statement:

“The St. Louis Aquarium family is saddened by the loss of Fluffy, our giant Pacific octopus. With an average lifespan of 2-3 years, she lived a happy and healthy life. Octopuses show very specific end of life behaviors, so the team was aware and made her as comfortable as possible during this last phase of her life, known as senescence.”

“Fluffy was a wonderful ambassador for her species, showing off her intelligence by squeezing through the tunnel that connects the two sides of her habitat, solving puzzles as a form of enrichment and even painting a few masterpieces. Her legacy lives on in the hearts of the Aquarium team and all of our guests who had the chance to get to know her over the past year.”

Many St. Louisans took to Facebook to express condolences for the late octopus and share memories of seeing Fluffy at the aquarium.

Aquarium officials noted, in response to a visitor’s question, that “nothing can ever replace Fluffy, (but) we will always welcome new fins!”

The St. Louis Aquarium is home to about 13,000 animals of more than 250 species. It’s located at 201 S. 18th St. in St. Louis.

Photo: Getty Images