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On the morning of Thursday, August 7, Nick, our beloved 18-year-old California sea lion, passed away at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C., where he had been temporarily housed since 2023 during the construction of our new sea lion habitat. He was scheduled to return to DZCA this fall to join Luci, Gunnison, Ady, and Maverick.
According to the animal health and care teams at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Nick had recently begun displaying concerning and uncharacteristic behaviors, including avoiding his care team and fellow sea lions, refusing food, and a rapid decline in weight. In an effort to diagnose and treat his condition, the veterinary team brought Nick in for a full examination under general anesthesia. Nick’s heart stopped during the procedure and, despite every effort to resuscitate him, he sadly passed away.
Nick will be fondly remembered for his impressive size—more than 700 lbs. at his prime—and his even larger personality. He delighted guests at both DZCA and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo with his booming bark and playful spirit, often seen basking in the sun or interacting with his fellow sea lions. As one of many rescued, non-releasable animals who found a permanent home in an AZA-accredited zoo, Nick served as an incredible ambassador for his species. He was rescued as a newborn from Seal Rock in North Laguna, California, with his umbilical cord still attached, and was cared for by the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. Because he was so young, Nick had to be bottle-fed and hand-raised by humans before joining Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance at just 10 months old.
Remembering a Remarkable Resident
Members of our Animal Care and Animal Health teams have shared what working with Nick has meant to them:
“Nicks legacy will forever live on at DCZA. From being heard barking in the evenings in nearby neighborhoods, to Nick’s Picks, to building a sea lion family at DZCA, he has always been a guest and staff favorite. Getting the chance to build a relationship with him is something I will always cherish dearly. Nick was a gentle soul and such a joy to work with. He made me smile every day, from his adorable snuggles with his daughter Ady to his goofy and sideways grin. I’ll miss that no matter how impressively large he got, he was always an even bigger baby, whether it be snow, rain or geese. It was a privilege to work alongside him and he will be forever missed.” — Brandi Taylor, Animal Care Specialist
“I have so many great memories of Nick that it is hard to pick just one to talk about. He was truly one of the best animals to work with, patient, curious and smart. One of the behaviors that we ask our sea lions to participate in is innovate, where they just need to keep doing a different behavior. He was the best at it, and these were some of my favorite sessions! He oftentimes would put multiple behaviors together and create something new. Nick also didn’t always know that he was the biggest sea lion as was evident in how Ady, his 200-pound daughter would push him around and he was fine with it. Or when we introduced him to Duke and Maverick the first time. He just wanted to be friends, and they were terrified of him initially because he was 400 pounds larger! They eventually realized that he wasn’t at all scary and just big. He was a sweet boy and words cannot express how much I am going to miss him and how grateful I am that I was able to work with him.” — Meryt Schumacher, Animal Care Specialist
“I was lucky enough to work with Nick to help build his voluntary medical behaviors. A true gentle giant, I was in awe of him and so proud of every fear he overcame – radiographs, ultrasound, tonovet, and blood draws. I will miss his barks and the skeptical side eye he gave me whenever we started learning something new. My favorite sweet boy, I am going to miss him so so dearly.” — Danielle Coffman, Registered Veterinary Technician
“Nick has been one of the most iconic animals here at DZCA, and I feel incredibly privileged and honored to have known him on a more personal level. As big as he was in size, he was even bigger in personality. He never ceased to amaze me with his intelligence and creativity. Many of the behaviors he knew, he had invented himself. He constantly had us laughing at something goofy he was up to; a trait he passed on to his son. He was a good and patient teacher to all of us that worked with him. One day I was walking next to him and slipped on a patch of ice. He could have been scared or upset about me suddenly being on my back, but he patiently waited for me to get back on my feet. He will be deeply missed by all the knew him.” — Leah Swift, Animal Care Specialist
“Nick was such a sweet and silly sea lion. Even with his large size, he was incredibly patient and seemed unaware of just how big he was — which made him the perfect animal to help teach many of us how to work with sea lions. He knew so many different behaviors on cue, but his vocalizations were always my favorite. I’m really going to miss his funny grin and seeing the trust he shared with his caretakers. What a special boy.” — Katelyn Stache, Assistant Curator of Carnivores
Nick’s legacy lives on through his two offspring who still call DZCA home, Gunnison and Ady, his mate, Luci, and the countless human lives he touched during his lifetime. In his time both at DZCA and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, he inspired a sense of awe and wonder in millions of guests and was an irreplaceable member of our animal family.
He will be deeply missed by all those who had the pleasure of knowing and caring for him. DZCA and our neighboring communities will never sound the same.
If you would like to make a gift in Nick’s memory to support our sea lions, please donate below.
