- A 4-year-old sea lion at Utah's Hogle Zoo died from sudden illness.
- Kenney showed lethargy and appetite loss on May 10, leading to liver failure.
- The zoo conducted a necropsy to understand the cause and shared findings with experts.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's Hogle Zoo announced Tuesday that one of its newest residents, a sea lion, has died after suffering a sudden illness.
Kenney, a 4-year-old California sea lion, came to the zoo recently along with fellow pinniped Banana. Kenney came from an aquarium in Chicago as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan to create a "dynamic group setting" with the resident sea lion Maverick.
Animal care supervisor Michael Salinas said he was thrilled to see Maverick finding companionship with the two new fellow sea lions, as Maverick had been the sole sea lion at the zoo since Diego died last year.
On May 10, Kenney's caretakers noticed an abrupt change in his behavior with sudden lethargy, appetite loss and gastrointestinal issues. The zoo said his condition became severe quickly, and he was placed into advanced veterinary care.
"Kenney got sick very quickly and was a tough medical challenge. Throughout the week, we used a wide range of treatments and remained in constant contact with specialists as we learned what was happening with Kenney, brainstorming next steps and treating his symptoms," said Dr. Erika Crook, Hogle director of animal health.
The animal care teams collected samples and did bloodwork and imaging to try to learn what was causing his illness and devise a treatment plan. But "despite quick and rigorous medical intervention over multiple days," Kenney died from acute liver failure.
"As we grieve this loss, our teams are comforted knowing we did everything possible as we came together with dedication, skill and unwavering commitment to give Kenney extensive care," Crook said.
Kenney will be remembered for his curious and playful personality. Once he arrived at the Hogle Zoo, his keepers said he loved enrichment activities, playing with toys in his habitat and snuggling up with his fellow sea lions.
The zoo conducted a full-body CT scan and necropsy of Kenney to understand his death as much as possible. The data was shared with health partners to advance pinniped diagnostic knowledge.
The other residents of the Rocky Shores habitat — Banana, Maverick, and harbor seals Mira and Nika — are being closely monitored but have not experienced any similar symptoms, according to the zoo.
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Cassidy Wixom
