Birmingham Zoo ideas shutdown of Sea Lion Habitat
For practically five decades, site visitors to the Birmingham Zoo have loved watching California sea lions splashing in their pool at the Sea Lion Habitat.
Sea lions Farley and Gio have been zoo favorites, entertaining families with their acrobatic antics.
The Birmingham Zoo announced right now that the California sea lions, Farley and Giovanni (Gio), will be moved to the New England Aquarium in Boston afterwards this spring. That will mark the lasting closure of the Zoo’s Sea Lion Habitat, which is in need of significant repairs and is no longer in compliance with most effective methods for sea lion treatment.
The zoo is performing on a “sea lion” send-off that will be declared in the coming months, to give website visitors a prospect to say goodbye.
The Birmingham Zoo does not have any current plans to develop a new sea lion habitat.
The Sea Lions are being moved in cooperation with the Affiliation of Zoos and Aquariums and the California Sea Lion Species Survival Strategy.
Farley and Gio had been born in 2008, and had been rescued in 2009 by the Maritime Mammal Center in Sausalito, California.
The Birmingham Zoo joins other zoos and aquariums all over the globe in collaborating in species survival strategies that control animal populations in zoos and related services, which includes supplying requirements for treatment, wellness and properly-being.
“While we are extremely unhappy to see them go, we are fired up about this wonderful possibility for them,” explained Birmingham Zoo Standard Curator Mollye Nardi.
Built in 1974 via generous donations from Parisian Retailers and the Alabama Zoological Culture, the California sea lion habitat is now out of date.
“Renovations to this habitat are not feasible and the only choice would be to build a new facility which are unable to occur shortly plenty of to deal with the present-day issues,” claimed Birmingham Zoo Deputy Director Hollie Colahan.
“Our astounding employees cares deeply for these animals and has been focused to furnishing them with outstanding treatment in spite of the a lot of problems posed by their outdated habitat,” claimed Scott Kayser, Zoological Manager of Predators.
Sea lions are social animals and reside in colonies in the wild.
The New England Aquarium has a greater habitat and their personal resident sea lions.
“When we reached out to the California Sea Lion SSP to spot Gio and Farley, we hoped that they could keep jointly and go to a leading-good quality facility,” Colahan reported. “We are thrilled that equally of these requests were satisfied, and they will be housed with other sea lions and cared for by an expert group at a further AZA-accredited facility.”
A sea lion leaps from the h2o at the Birmingham Zoo. (Courtesy of the Birmingham Zoo)
Colahan stated sea lions are a favored of not just guests but team. “Sending them away is a tough determination for us but we believe that that every animal in the zoo justifies the most effective life probable, even when that daily life is somewhere else.”
Farley and Gio will be becoming a member of three feminine California sea lions at the New England Aquarium: 12-year-olds Sierra and Zoey and 10-yr-previous Tipper, all rescued animals who could not be produced and were provided a endlessly household in the New Balance Basis Maritime Mammal Centre.
“We are very fired up for the addition of a male sea lion and an additional woman sea lion,” reported Kristen Van Oss, Curator of Pinnipeds and Penguins at the New England Aquarium. “Farley and Gio are at the fantastic age to socialize with our resident sea lions, and we sense that this will not only be incredibly enriching for all 5 of the animals but also align with our goal of supplying the best level of animal welfare for the animals in our care.”
Birmingham Zoo Team are doing the job pretty intently with the New England Aquarium to make certain a sleek and thriving changeover for Gio and Farley.
“It has been a pleasure collaborating with the workforce at the Birmingham Zoo and utilizing our ordeals to set up for a protected transition and acclimation of the animals from their facility to ours,” Van Oss explained.
See also: Woman lion at Birmingham Zoo dies following assault by new male lion
California Sea Lions, known for their pouty faces and acrobatic antics, will be leaving the Birmingham Zoo this spring. (Courtesy of the Birmingham Zoo)