Mommy-to-be! Louisville Zoo announces gray seal pregnant with first pup
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LOUISVILLE, KY (WLKY) — The Louisville Zoo is preparing for a new bundle of joy.
Zoo officials said in a Facebook Live announcement Tuesday that a 6-year-old gray seal named Rona is pregnant with her first pup.
Rona has been moved out of the exhibit due to her pregnancy, officials said. During the announcement, the zoo said team members noticed she had been gaining weight since last year, going from 250 pounds to her current weight of 425 pounds.
Gray seals are pregnant for about 11 months. During gestation, implantation of the embryo can be delayed over several months, officials said.
When Rona’s pup is born, it will weigh approximately 30 to 35 pounds.
Rona is due to give birth between now and February.
Zoo team members are monitoring Rona’s progress, conducting ultrasounds and blood draws. One of the ultrasounds was released over the weekend to tease the baby announcement.
The zoo also brought on Boone, another gray seal, who is the father.
Officials said the zoo has a history of seal pup births, welcoming eight of them, including twin seal pups in 1979. One of the zoo’s most recent high-profile births was that of an elephant in 2019, later named Fitz.
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