Milwaukee County Zoo shares death of giant Pacific octopus 'Chalupa'

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee County Zoo shared a sad update Thursday, announcing the death of their giant female Pacific octopus. 

The zoo says they had quality of life concerns for Chalupa, who had laid eggs and had gone into senescence - what they describe as a normal part of the octopus life cycle. She became fairly inactive, and her skin began to change color, losing control of her body and eventually no longer eating. 

She was humanely euthanized on Jan. 25 at three years old.

The zoo says the giant Pacific octopus is the largest and longest-living octopus, with a typical lifespan of 3-5 years. They typically die after breeding season.

Staff members say they'll remember Chalupa as "cat-like," only engaging with people on her own terms. They say she was "particularly skilled at hiding in plain sight" and matching the color of her environment. 

Chalupa arrived at the Milwaukee County Zoo in early 2022 and was named with the help of the zoo's social media followers. 

Her habitat will now undergo renovations in preparation for a smaller species, like the California two-spot octopus.