Ellie Mae the Northern Elephant Seal (2024)
Obituary
Ellie Mae died in at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium following other deaths earlier in the year.
Ellie Mae, a northern elephant seal, died in August 2024 of undisclosed causes at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. Her death follows a string of recent deaths at the Pittsburgh Zoo earlier in the year, including a sea lion named Seahawk.
Ellie Mae came to the zoo after a beaching incident in 2017 in California. She had health conditions, including vision impairment, that ultimately prohibited her from being released into the wild. Northern elephant seals, native to the coasts of North America, are classified as Least Concern under the IUCN Red List, but they still face threats, including ocean pollution and disease. Northern elephant seals spend much of the year swimming and diving in the open ocean. Seals can dive as deep as 300-800 meters. Their tiny pools at zoos and aquariums are a fraction of their natural habitat.
World Animal Protection urges everyone who loves seals and sea lions to avoid zoos and aquariums and instead enjoy them in the wild or at an accredited sanctuary.
