For an octopus, conception marks the beginning of the end. After laying her eggs, the mother devotes herself entirely to guarding them. She stops eating, rarely moves, and lives only to ensure their survival. When the eggs finally hatch, she dies.
I was captivated by a Radiolab podcast describing a species of octopus with a gestation period that lasts for years. The story revealed striking parallels to the ways we talk about human pregnancy being the end of the womens life as well.
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