NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Aquarium of Niagara has announced the death of its rescued California sea lion named Mia.
According to the Aquarium, Mia experienced four weeks of declining health, and its veterinarians, in cooperation with the zoological staff, performed extensive diagnostic testing, monitoring, and treatments. The team made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize Mia after comprehensive results revealed that she was experiencing kidney failure.
Mia was rescued as an adult and the Aquarium doesn't know her exact age, but estimates she was at least 15 years old at the time of her death. The Aquarium said the median life span for male and female California sea lions is between 8-12 years in the wild and 23-24 years in managed care.
The Aquarium shared the following about Mia's journey:
"Few animals exemplify the Aquarium’s mission like Mia. Found stranded and suffering from pneumonia off the coast of California in June 2014, Mia was brought to the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro, California where she surprised everyone by giving birth to a pup, Isabel, just one week after her arrival at the rescue facility. While the goal of any rescue effort is to safely return the animal to the wild, some animals, like Mia, are deemed non-releasable because they would not be able to survive if released. During rehabilitation, Mia experienced seizures, and experts believe that she suffered from domoic acid poisoning as a result of harmful algae blooms. Domoic acid is a neurotoxin that can cause permanent brain damage in sea lions and other marine mammals, and the outlook for Mia’s survival was bleak. Despite this, the Aquarium of Niagara committed to providing Mia and her pup, Isabel, with a permanent home, and Mia with the advanced level of care she would require for the rest of her life."
In celebration of Mia’s life, the Aquarium is inviting the public to share photos and memories on its social media channels.
“As animal care professionals, we are extremely proud to have given the highest level of care to Mia for the past 9 ½ years. I have been working with Mia since the day she joined our Aquarium family, and I’ve watched her grow and develop alongside countless animal care specialists whose lives and careers have been shaped by their work with this incredible animal. Mia brought joy to many, and she will be greatly missed.”
