A longtime, beloved resident of the Blank Park Zoo died Tuesday, May 26, after unexpected complications during a veterinary procedure.
Ross the Harbor seal, born in 2010, came to Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines in 2011 after being rescued from the wild. He was deemed non-releasable due to impaired vision in his right eye. He remained in the care of the zoo where he became known for his participation in the seal and sea lion demonstrations at the Hub Harbor Pinniped Pavilion.
Zoo-goers could see seals and sea lions, including Ross, from a bird’s-eye view above the pool or down below in the underwater viewing room. Ross was well known to visitors, as was his partner, Meru. The two had pups together, Monty in 2018, and Mira in 2021. Both pups were moved to other zoos.
During a veterinary procedure on Tuesday, Ross experienced an unexpected complication and later died, a Facebook post from the zoo said. A necropsy is underway to determine the cause of his death.
“The loss of Ross is deeply felt across our Zoo, especially by the animal care teams who worked closely with him each day,” the post said. “Please keep our Zoo family in your thoughts during this difficult time.”
Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@registermedia.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Beloved seal at Blank Park Zoo dies after procedure complications
Reporting by Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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