Kiska ( NMFS Permit No. 14334)
Its a sad time for the Alaska Sea Life Center, its staff and volunteers, and visitors. Kiska one of their longtime resident Steller sea lions, and her unborn pup died unexpectedly of undetermined causes Saturday night in the late term of pregnancy. An independent pathologist came to Seward to perform a necropsy Sunday to help ASLC staff to determine the cause of death.
Kiskas loss lays heavy on our minds and in our hearts. She will be greatly missed by all of our staff and visitors who have grown to know and love her. said Dr. Ian Dutton, Alaska SeaLife Center President & CEO.
His sentiments were amplified on Facebook by adoring visitors from across the country and former staff and volunteers who remembered her, and the way she enjoyed Sugars company. Some posted photos they had taken of Kiska.
I had the privilege of working with Kiska as an intern at ASLC. She was a great ambassador for her species and taught us alot! RIP little angel….well miss you, wrote Katie Johe.So very heartbreaking. Kiska really captured our hearts, and we were so excited to meet her baby. Our deepest condolences to you all, wrote Brendan Smith.
My heart goes out to all the staff of the Alaska Sealife Center, what a very sad thing to happen, we will all miss Kiska and her pup, said Cheryl Verschueren.
Kiska, Sugar, and Woody, the popular 2,000 pound male, had all been collected and brought in to the ACLC as young 5-6 year olds, and have been there for about a decade.
Kiska and Sugar had been allowed to mate with Woody last year, in an effort to research pup breading and maternal sea lion nutrition needs. Her pregnancy was confirmed late last fall, and since that time her health has been monitored by ASLC Veterinarians and husbandry staff.
Beginning May 15th, ASLC staff began monitoring Kiska all day and night, with the help of staff and volunteers. Right before her death, which looked to observers as through it were a sudden seizure, Kiska had been active and swimming, showing no signs of distress.
On-site observers had noticed an increased level of activity by Kiska Saturday night. Due to that increased level of activity, a possible precursor to labor, Brett Long, Director of Husbandry, made a personal visit to check on Kiska. But when he arrived at Kiskas enclosure, just ten minutes after he viewed her on his I-phone, he discovered she was non-responsive. Alaska SeaLife Center Veterinarian, Dr. Carrie Goertz, was called and was onsite in under 10 minutes. Kiska was confirmed dead; an emergency C-section was immediately performed in an effort to save the unborn pup. Unfortunately the full-term pup had already died.
Kiskas health had been monitored closely throughout her pregnancy by ASLC husbandry and veterinarian staff, and the pup had been developing normally until this point. Staff frequently observed fetal activity, and ultrasound images showed steady growth and a strong heart rate.
