Sea lion dies at the zoo
ASHEBORO — A male California sea lion died Wednesday at the North Carolina Zoo while being examined by veterinarians for a variety of medical problems.
Joey, a 25-year-old sea lion, passed away under anesthesia while specialists from the N.C. State College of Veterinary Medicine were examining the animal for problems, including weight loss and loss of appetite, according to a news release from the zoo. Joey had lost more than 50 pounds in recent months and was being treated for a number of age-related problems. The average life span for California sea lions is 18 years.
A necropsy, or animal autopsy, conducted late Wednesday revealed the sea lion had severe arthritis, heart valve lesions and sinus infection.
Joey was born at Marineland of Florida and was transferred to the N.C. Zoo in May 1995. The zoo’s other marine mammals, a female sea lion and a two male seals, appear in good condition and remain on exhibit at the zoo’s Rocky Coast exhibit complex. The zoo will be searching for another male sea lion in the coming days.
Related Links
News & Record Network Sites
Triad Weather
- Current Condition: RAIN
- Current Temperature: 37°
- UV Idx: 0
- Forecast High/Low: H: 37° L: 24°
User Tools
Search News-Record.com
closeSearch News & Record Article Archives
Not all of the newspaper's content appears online.
*There is a fee for downloading some older articles.
