Zoo’s beloved sea lion, Sushi, dies

One of the Zoo’s most beloved animals, Sushi the female sea lion, died Wednesday after a brief illness, said zoo officials.

Zookeepers found Sushi unresponsive while she was in her behind the scenes pool. Zookeepers and veterinary staff were unable to revive her. The cause of death is not yet known.

Zoo staff are working diligently to determine the cause of death. A full necropsy, histopathology and extensive testing will be performed.

“The zoo family is extremely brokenhearted by Sushi’s sudden death,” said Zoo Director Steve Marshall.

“We value the lives of all our animals and work hard to keep them happy and healthy. We know our zoo staff and friends have been able to connect with Sushi over the years. This is a great loss for us all and she will be missed dearly,” added Marshall.

Sushi had been at the zoo since 2004 after being rescued as an abandoned pup in Oceano, California in 1999.

She was a favorite for many of the guests at the zoo, including here at ABC-7.

Almost daily during our newscast at ABC-7 at 4, we would tune into the zoo camera inside her pool. Sushi would delight us as she swam gracefully around the pool, showcasing her sassy spirit.

Sushi was irresistibly compelling to watch as she dived up and down the pool.

The sea lion program is one of the most popular showcases at the zoo. Many children loved Sushi for how the way she interacted with children and playfully made faces at them.

Her friendly demeanor charmed not only children, but adults as well as they photographed the playful sea lion.

Sushi was also an ambassador at the zoo for sustainability. In her show, she would help inform guests about their role in being a good steward of natural resources by purchasing sustainable seafood, recycling, and reducing plastic trash in the oceans.

Zookeepers who took care of her remember her as a clever, spirited, and very sassy sea lion.

A couple of years ago, the sea lion demonstrations were put on hold after introducing a new male sea lion to Sushi who became aggressive. Zoo officials said aggressiveness lead to the male biting Sushi, leaving her with minor injuries.

Previous Sea Lions

In early 2014, Sunny the sea lion died after he wasn’t feeling well.

The 26-year-old sea lion, who was born at the El Paso Zoo, also taught about ocean conservation in presentations for more than 15 years.

According to zoo officials, Sunny was the first sea lion at any zoo to teach visitors about recycling by demonstrating how to put the correct items in a recycling bin.

Cocoa, 24, another of the El Paso Zoo’s sea lions died in May 2010.

Cocoa was born at Six Flags Marine World California and was the twin sister of Cleo, one of the other sea lions at the El Paso Zoo. The pair joined Sushi to be Sunny’s companions in March of 2004.

Cocoa had chronic health problems related to old age including cataracts and arthritis in her back.

California Sea Lion Facts

Scientific Name: Zalophus californianus Status: Common Distribution: Pacific coast of Canada south to Baja California, Mexico.

Habitat: Pacific Ocean.

Diet: Fish, squid, octopi, crabs, clams, and lobsters.

Length: Males (called bulls) can reach up to 8 feet (2.5 m) long. Females are up to 6.5 feet (2 m) long.

Weight: Males 441-662 lbs / Females 110-221 lbs.

Reproduction: Every spring, sea lions gather on islands in southern California and Baja California in Mexico. After the pups are born in June and July, adult males leave the females and pups and begin moving to their wintering grounds in the Pacific Northwest.

Behavior: Sea lions have special adaptations for swimming underwater, including flexible bodies and flippers. They can dive to depths of 820 feet.

The record for a human diver without special equipment (free diving) is 400 feet. They can stay underwater without breathing for almost three quarters of an hour compared to a record 14 minutes for a human. Sea lions are fast swimmers and can go up to 25 mph (40 kph).

They are also very fast on land. “Walking” with all four flippers, a sea lion can go faster over a rough beach than a running man.