Trunkline Magazine (Louisville Zoo) December 2018 | Page 17

Gray Seals
Rona — female, age 4
Rona was born in 2014 at the
Smithsonian National Zoo. Her arriv-
al at the Louisville Zoo in 2016 was
her first-time meeting sea lions!
Boone — male, age 14
Minnow — male, age 30
Boone and Minnow came to
Louisville from Chicago's Brook-
field Zoo in May of 2018. Minnow
is distinguishable by his arched
Roman nose.
Harbor Seals
Tonie — female, age 16
Tonie was born in 2002. She was
relocated from the Lincoln Chil-
dren’s Zoo in Nebraska in 2010.
Kash — male, age 6
Oskar — male, age 7
Kilian — male, age 5
These three harbor seals are the
newest additions to the Glacier Run
pinniped family. They all arrived
from Miller Park Zoo in Illinois. They
made their debut in Louisville in late
October after a standard 30-day
quarantine and time getting accus-
tomed to their new habitat (as well
as the other pinnipeds). Oskar is
known at his previous Zoo for being
a playful, energetic seal, and Kilian
Harbor seals Oskar and Kash explore Glacier Run with sea lion Gremlin.
was considered a “training star”
who was always eager to interact.
Kash’s keepers describe him as hav-
ing a large attitude, saying when
he isn’t interested in training, he
may give his keepers the “side-eye”
before swimming away.
The pinnipeds are on exhibit
rotation in Glacier Run in groups.
This means that you may see several
pinnipeds in the same group get-
ting trained at one time. It would
be natural to think that pinnipeds
are grouped by species. However,
the Louisville Zoo takes its animal
management cues from the rem-
nant wild where it is not unusual
to see some species of seals and
Left: Harbor seal Kilian enjoys a fishy treat.
Below: California sea lion Bart basks in
the sunlight.
sea lions sharing the same beach.
At the Zoo, creating a group for
any Zoo mammal is dependent
how well they interact. Keepers
must carefully observe the animals’
behaviors to see if they seem ready
and willing to be introduced to each
other. Keepers will facilitate slow
and safe introductions primarily by
allowing animals to see and smell
each other through “howdy doors,”
small mesh windows built into their
indoor pools. Continual monitor-
ing takes place to look for signals
that individuals are not compatible
in a family group. Members of the
group may also change when any
breeding recommendations are
received from their Species Survival
Plan coordinators.
We hope you will come visit our
active pinniped ambassadors this
winter in Glacier Run. And, as you
are celebrating the holidays, please
remember that you can help all
pinnipeds by recycling your wrap-
ping paper, packaging and other
plastic items, minimizing use of
plastic bags, and making sure your
items are disposed of properly.
Litter can end up in our waterways
and then into our oceans and be-
come harmful to species vulnerable
to that pollution. Also, be sure to
check out seafoodwatch.com for
ways to keep your family dinners
pinniped friendly!
Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Winter 2018 • 17